Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
San Diego State
Indiana Rallies Past SDSU into the Second Round
3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 17, 2006
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - For the fifth time during the 2005-06 season, the Indiana men's basketball team rebounded from a double-digit deficit as it scored the final seven points of the game on its way to an 87-83 victory over San Diego State in the first round the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore guard/forward Robert Vaden connected on a three-pointer from the left wing with 3.3 seconds remaining to give Indiana the victory. The Hoosiers improved to 19-11 on the year and 7-3 under head coach Mike Davis in the NCAA Tournament.
Indiana finished with four players in double figures including a trio of players with 18 points. Junior point guard Earl Calloway turned in a career performance in the win as the Atlanta, Ga., native finished with 18 points on 8-of-9 from the field to go along with three assists and six steals. He became the first Hoosier since Michael Lewis against Syracuse on Dec. 18, 1999 to record six or more steals in a game. Senior forward Marco Killingsworth and Vaden each added 18 points in the victory. Vaden hit on five three-point field goals for the third time this season. Junior guard Roderick Wilmont recorded his 10th double-digit performance off the bench with 11 points to go along with a team-high six rebounds.
The Hoosiers won for the first time this year when allowing an opponent to shoot over 50 percent from the field. San Diego State finished at 56.4 percent (31-of-55) from the field, including 10 three-point field goals. IU shot 35-of-71 (49.3 percent) from the floor and hit on 52.8 percent (19-of-36) in the second half. IU hit on eight three-pointers for the 18th time this season in the victory. The Hoosiers limited their turnovers as well finishing with nine, which marked only the second time this year IU has had single-digit turnovers.
Trailing by three, 83-80, with 52 seconds remaining in the second half and like it had many times before this season, the Hoosiers answered the call with a comeback victory. Calloway pulled the Hoosiers within one at 83-82 with a driving layup. With less than a 10 second difference on the shot clock and game clock, the Hoosiers dug in on defense. Senior guard Marshall Strickland knocked the ball away from SDSU's Brandon Heath into the backcourt. The four-year Hoosier starter dove in and tied up Heath in the backcourt. The possession arrow pointed IU's direction with 13.3 second remaining.
The SDSU defense deflected a Wilmont pass away, but the ball ended up in the hands of Vaden. The Indianapolis, Ind., native set his feet and connected on a trey from the left wing to give Indiana the lead for good at 85-83. On the ensuing San Diego State inbounds pass, the Aztecs went deep into the front court, but the ball sailed out of play to give the Hoosiers possession. After an Aztec foul, Wilmont calmly knocked two free throws to secure the Indiana victory, 87-83, with 2.7 seconds remaining.
Calloway opened the scoring with a trey from the top of the key on the Hoosiers opening possession. The two teams traded buckets before SDSU scored back-to-back buckets with the final one a jumper by Mohamed Abukar from the right baseline. The basket gave the Aztecs their first lead of the game at 15-13 with 11:25 remaining in the opening half.
An A.J. Ratliff trey from the left wing in front of the SDSU bench on the ensuing possession allowed the Hoosiers to regain the lead, 16-15. Killingsworth added a layup to give IU a three-point cushion. Leading, 21-19, the Hoosiers scored nine of the game next 11 points to open their largest lead of the contest at 30-21. Calloway capped the run with two straight driving layups, including the final one in which he broke down the SDSU defender with a cross over for the driving bucket from the right wing at the 7:58 mark.
Senior guard Lewis Monroe scored two straight layups to give IU a 39-33 lead with 3:51 remaining. With the Hoosiers on top 41-37 following a score from Wilmont, the Aztecs finished the half on a 7-0 run to take a lead into the locker room. Heath scored on a pull-up jumper and then nailed a trey from the left side to give San Diego State the lead, 42-41. Abukar scored a layup with three seconds remaining in the first half for the final margin of 44-41 after the opening 20 minutes.
Both teams shot the ball well from the field in the opening half. San Diego State connected on 62.1 percent (18-of-29) from the field, including 7-of-9 from three-point range. IU hit on 45.7 percent (15-of-36) from the floor, including six three-point field goals. The Hoosiers only turned the ball over twice in the first half, while Vaden led the club in scoring at 12 points on a trio of three-point field goals.
After San Diego State's Marcus Slaughter hit on two free throws, the Hoosiers scored four straight points to draw within one, 46-45, in the opening minutes of the second half. Raltiff scored on a driving layup from the right wing before Calloway made a steal and scored on a driving bucket.
The Aztecs pushed the lead to its largest at 10 points. Abukar scored eight straight SDSU points for a 53-47 lead three minutes into the second half. The cushion ballooned out to 61-51 following a pair of free throws by Kyle Spain. The lead reached 10 for a second time at 63-53 before the Hoosiers made a run to take its first lead since late in the opening half.
Indiana went on a 14-3 run to regain the lead at 67-66 with 8:01 remaining. Killingsworth scored four straight points before SDSU's John Sharper knocked down a trey for San Diego State. The Hoosiers then scored 10 straight points. Wilmont scored five of the first seven IU points on the run including a driving three-point play to cut the deficit to 66-64. Calloway then stole the SDSU inbounds pass and found Vaden in the left corner for the trey. The trifecta put the Hoosiers on top, 67-66.
San Diego State nabbed the lead back with an Akubar offensive put back on the next possession. The bucket started a six-point spurt for SDSU, and after a pair of free throws by Abukar, the Aztecs led, 72-67 at the 6:38 mark.
San Diego State led by five at 76-71, before the Hoosiers once again knotted the contest. Calloway scored five straight points for IU, including a driving layup and foul with 3:48 left. He connected on the subsequent free throw for the three-point play to draw Indiana even at 76.
Heath responded with a three-pointer from the right wing to put the Aztecs back on top, 79-76. Abukar hit on a pair of free throws to push the SDSU advantage back to five, 81-76, with 2:57 remaining.
Killingsworth knocked down a pair of free throws before Wilmont scored on a layup to draw IU within a point, 81-80, with 1:14 remaining. After a pair Abukar free throws gave SDSU an 83-80 cushion, Indiana scored the final seven points of the game in claiming the victory.
Indiana advances to the second round for the third time under Davis. The Hoosiers will play the No. 3 seed Gonzaga at the John Huntsman Arena at 8:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 18. The Bulldogs advanced to the second round with a 79-75 victory over No. 14 seed Xavier.
