IU Defeats Maryland, Completes Undefeated Home Season

Sunday, March 6

Bloomington, IN

4:30 PM

Indiana University

25-6, 15-3

Maryland

24-7, 12-6

Maryland

Indiana

IU Defeats Maryland, Completes Undefeated Home Season

3/6/2016 7:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's seniors left Assembly Hall in a way they've become accustomed to this season—winners.

The No. 12 Hoosiers defeated the No. 14 Maryland Terrapins 80-62 on Senior Day. The win finalized an undefeated 17-0 season at home for IU, the first such streak since the program went 15-0 in Bloomington in 2006-07.

"It's a special night," head coach Tom Crean said. "Senior night can go so many different directions and the emotions can overtake it. It can make you do things you shouldn't do and think thoughts that get in the way of winning and competing. Our guys didn't let that happen."

Indiana (25-6, 15-3) entered the weekend as the Big Ten's regular-season champion already. The win over Maryland (24-7, 12-6) only strengthens IU's NCAA Tournament resume heading into next week's Big Ten Tournament where the Hoosiers will play the winner of Thursday's Michigan-Northwestern matchup at noon Friday.

"It's just an awesome feeling," junior forward Troy Williams said, still wearing a piece of the net he cut down earlier in celebration with his teammates after claiming the outright Big Ten title.

IU fell behind by eight points just 3:11 into the game before outscoring Maryland by 21 the remainder of the half to lead 41-28 heading into the locker room. The Hoosiers continued to build their advantage coming out of the break, leading by as many as 17 just 40 seconds into the second half.

Then things got tighter.

Maryland implemented a full-court press midway through the second half that initially rattled Indiana, who was once again without starting guard Robert Johnson. The Terrapins climbed within nine points with just under seven minutes left in the half before the Hoosiers regained control and brought the lead back to 15 points just two and a half minutes later.

From there, Indiana was able to maintain its healthy lead.

"We played a terrific team today, played a team with a lot of confidence," Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon said. "They just make dynamic plays."

There were moments against Maryland where Indiana was playing a style of basketball more commonly seen on playgrounds rather than Big Ten gyms.

There was senior guard Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell driving to the baseline and firing a wraparound pass to senior guard Nick Zeisloft for an open triple at the top of the key.

A little later, junior forward Collin Hartman was drove toward the rim, spun and sent a wraparound pass of his own to freshman Thomas Bryant for an uncontested dunk. Bryant, who stands 6-foot-10, had an uncharacteristic start to his day by dribbling through his legs and stepping back into a 3-pointer for his first points of the game.

It was the kind of day where Zeisloft could save a loose ball out of bounds, throw it blindly over his shoulder only to find freshman forward Juwan Morgan sprinting down the court for a layup in transition.

"No chance did I see him," Zeisloft said. "I want to say that I saw him, but I didn't see him."

Perhaps nobody was taking advantage of Indiana's free-flowing basketball than Williams, who led all scorers with 23 points. He connected on a 3-pointer as the halftime buzzer sounded and continued to pour in 16 points in the second half to assure the Hoosiers their first win on senior night since 2011-12.

"I said don't try to get the next 1,000 tonight, but he didn't listen," Crean said, referencing a pregame ceremony where he was recognized for reaching 1,000 points in his career.

"He went after it."

After the game ended, right before the seniors gave their final goodbyes, the Big Ten champions had work left to do.

Ferrell and Zeisloft led their teammates back onto Branch McCracken Court carrying the Big Ten Championship Trophy—the program's 22^nd. The rest of the Hoosiers followed close behind wearing Big Ten championship t-shirts and hats.

When the trophy reached half court, the players lifted it high above their heads and posed for photos. They took their time celebrating together on the floor in front of an Assembly Hall crowd that wasn't in any hurry to leave.

Tournament season is coming quickly and Crean said the reflection could only last so long.

But first, a celebration was in order, and nets needed to be cut down.

While that was all being set up, Williams had one final question for the fans:

"Can you say Big Ten champs?"