Hoosiers Are Feeling Like Big Shots

Wisconsin brought the Big Ten Conference’s best defense to Assembly Hall on Saturday.

Indiana destroyed it, scoring more points than the Badgers had given up in a game in more than five years.

The unranked Hoosiers shot 70.2%--making 14 of 19 three-point attempts--in an 85-55 victory over No. 19 Wisconsin.

“To shoot 70% against this team is saying a lot,” Indiana Coach Mike Davis said. “These guys guard you hard, they extend you, they contested almost every shot we took.”

Yet it didn’t make a difference.

Tom Coverdale made a career-high six three-point shots in seven attempts in scoring a game-high 24 points. Jared Jeffries made all eight of his shots and scored 18. Kyle Hornsby made five of six three-points shots for all of his 15 points.

The Hoosiers, 17-11 overall and 8-6 in the Big Ten, proved so accurate and so efficient that they finished with the fourth best field-goal percentage in school history and their best since 1989.

“I definitely felt good after I hit a couple of shots and it kind of snowballed,” Coverdale said.

Wisconsin (17-8, 8-6) came into the game having allowed the fewest points (55.6) and lowest three-point shooting (31.6%) in the Big Ten, but got buried in an avalanche of outside shots.

The most points the Badgers had previously given up this season was in a 78-75 overtime victory over Maryland on Nov. 29.

“I can’t point one thing out that was disappointing. I don’t even remember ever reading about someone shooting 70%,” Wisconsin Coach Brad Soderberg said. “I don’t just mean ever against Wisconsin, I mean ever. I’ve never heard of it.”

Wisconsin was as close as 42-36 early in the second half when Hornsby and Coverdale made successive three-point shots to ignite a 14-4 Indiana run. The Badgers never threatened again.