Indiana Powers Past Minnesota, 72-67

Wednesday, March 4

Bloomington, Ind.

7:00 PM

Indiana University

19-11,9-10Big Ten

Minnesota

13-16,7-12Big Ten

Minnesota

Indiana

3/4/2020 9:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Joey Brunk as Hoosier hero.

Did you see this coming?

The 6-11, 245-pound junior center hit beast mode during Wednesday night's 72-67 victory over Minnesota.

He totaled 12 points (on 6-for-10 shooting) and eight rebounds, but this was about way more than numbers.

This was a Brunk we haven't seen since Michigan State in late January, when he went for 14 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes.

Brunk defended, blocked, rebounded, hedged and scored with nifty post moves. He defended one of the Big Ten's fiercest big men – Daniel Oturu, a projected NBA first-round pick -- into a series of misses, and if Oturu still had 24 points and 16 rebounds, he needed 27 shots to do it.

"It was being solid in our principles," Brunk said. "It's a lot of good coaching. Sticking to that. Being confident."

What sparked Brunk's success?

"Nothing in particular," he said. "It's the same routines with (director of athletic performance Clif Marshall). It's being here at night."

And then …

"I wanted to stick with the things that got me here," he said. "Not switch that up."

Were you expecting a quote for the ages?

Brunk is substance over style, a man of few words and fierce passion, highlighted by his celebration of teammate Aljami Durham's twisting second-half layup during Indiana's gut-check closing flourish.

When Brunk's minutes diminished to near irrelevance although he continued to start (eight at Michigan, six against Penn State, eight at Illinois), he didn't pout.

He worked.

"Stick with it regardless of what's going on," he said. "Lead in practice. Keep plugging away."

For those wondering about IU's starting lineup in general, Brunk's continued part of it in particular, Miller had an answer.

"Here's the deal. You're in March. If you change your starting lineup, you do it with a specific reason or adjustment.

"The minute you change, you lose guys. There's no reason to do that. You do what Joey did – you hang in there, hand in there. It's not easy to play well every night, but it is easy to play hard every night. Joey played extremely hard.

"I was really happy to get Joey going offensively again. We need that."

Miller had talked before the game about getting Brunk more involved.

Mission accomplished.

"The whole key to the game was Joey Brunk," Miller said. "His impact on both ends of the floor, being able to play as many minutes as he did, was huge. He finally got it going on offense, and rebounded as well.

"The key to our team is trying to find him, getting him back into rhythm where he's playing longer minutes."

Added guard Rob Phinisee: "He brought energy. We needed it in the second half. He was hitting those big buckets when we needed it."

Brunk had plenty of help from forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who battled a sprained foot, but not a whiny attitude. He made discomfort as relevant as flip phones with his 18 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes, just missing an 11^thdouble-double.

"He's been playing with a sore foot," Miller said. "He's done every test known to man. We didn't know if he'd play.

"It's pain tolerance right now. He's not going to get a lot of rest.

"We were going to test him in the first four minutes. See what he was up to. Looked like he was up to being all right. We rode him out. We asked him throughout the game if it was okay. He said he was good."

Phinisee and Durham had 11 points each, with Phinisee adding six rebounds and five assists. Forward Justin Smith had 10 points.

It was the second time this season the Hoosiers had five players score in double figures. The first was against North Alabama on Nov. 12.

Indiana's strong 12 opening minutes was wiped out by a lethargic eight. A double-digit lead became a two-point halftime deficit.

Shaken?

Not these Hoosiers (19-11 overall, 9-10 in the Big Ten), who once again showed resiliency that could yet make a postseason difference. They snapped a two-game losing streak under must-win pressure.

"We don't focus on it," Phinisee said. "We focus on day by day, wining the practice. Tomorrow we'll get after it in practice."

Minnesota (13-16, 7-12) arrived reeling, but not rattled. It had lost eight of nine (including a 68-56 home loss to IU two weeks earlier), but had pushed Maryland and Wisconsin to the limit in its last two games, losing by a total of three points.

Indiana did enough down the stretch to avoid that drama.

"Indiana played really hard and physical," Gophers coach Richard Pitino said. "This is one of the toughest places to play in the country. We fought. It seemed like we wore down."

Added Miller: "I was proud of our guys in a grind-it-out game. Minnesota is tough. They have some serious shooting. When they're hot, they can really play. They're a tough team to play against.

"We're fortunate to beat them twice. We're trending in the right way."

Physical play sparked IU to a series of early seven-point leads.

That included one memorable collision between Smith and the Gophers' Gabe Kalscheur that resulted in a no call and a steal and basket by Smith.

Jackson-Davis thrived inside. Devonte Green attacked from the perimeter (a three-pointer) and the paint (a layup). IU built a 25-15 lead.

Then the Hoosier offense went cold. Minnesota hit three 3-pointers in the final four minutes, including one by Isaiah Ihnen with three seconds left (making him 3-for-3), to take a 34-32 halftime lead.

IU started the second half on an 8-0 run capped by a Durham three-pointer set up by Brunk's block of an Oturu layup attempt.

Aggressive defense forced a Minnesota turnover that became a Smith dunk and a 48-43 Hoosier lead.

Minnesota rallied for a 51-50 lead, and a 54-54 tie.

Brunk's consecutive inside baskets put IU ahead by four. Jackson-Davis dunked. Durham twisted his way for a three-point play.

The Hoosiers led by eight. Oturu missed a dunk, then an eight-foot jumper. Smith, Durham and Brunk continued to produce.

Minnesota had no answer, and IU got its much-needed win with Wisconsin (20-10 with a seven-game winning streak) looming for Saturday's regular-season finale.

The Badgers beat the Hoosiers in Madison 84-64 in early December, and have won 20 of the last 23 meetings.

"Saturday is going to be a big challenge for all of our front-court players with how Wisconsin plays," Miller said. "We had no answer for them way, way back, but we're going to have to be a lot better engaged defensively."