After a game of scoring sprees and slumps, No. 3 Indiana emerged with a 81-73 home upset of the top-ranked Michigan Wolverines that will likely elevate the Hoosiers back to No. 1 themselves.
Sophomore forward Cody Zeller, with 19 points, led a balanced IU offense that saw all five starters reach double figures.
The first eight attempts for the Hoosiers, across all shooting categories, were perfect. Zeller started the party with a pair of free throws before six straight IU field goal attempts, four of them from 3-pint range, sank through the net.
Freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell was responsible for a pair of the long shots as he continues to show an improved outside jumper as the season wears on.
With a 28-13 lead less than halfway through the period, IU seemed almost too in-control before Michigan reeled off a 10-0 to close within two possessions and remind everyone of its top ranking.
Even the crowd, loud and rowdy from well before tipoff through the early scoring spree, was deflated, until a 3-pointer by senior guard Jordan Hulls injected enthusiasm back into the masses and ended the Wolverine run.
Michigan continued to chip away at the lead, though, and a 3-pointer by Trey Burke, who had 14 first-half points, cut the lead to less than five points for the first time since the opening three minutes.
The second half opened with more of the same, Michigan cutting the lead to two, then one, then a tie on consecutive possessions.
The score deadlocked for the first times since tipoff, IU reeled off another run to take a lead, scoring 11 straight points on a combination of contested jumpers and nifty moves in traffic. Junior guard Victor Oladipo’s successful and-one on an under-the-basket move and another Hulls 3-pointer seemed to give IU the momentum once again.
Much like in the first half, though, Michigan responded with a methodical run of its own to slice away at the lead, their workman-like effort cutting the lead back within two points.
IU was highlighted in the stretch with a failed alley-oop attempt from Hulls to Oladipo.
Zeller had a pair of put-back dunks to boost the lead back to six. The teams traded baskets for a few minutes, before an increasingly desperate Wolverine squad forced several shots as the IU lead built back up and time ran down.
Playing all five starters late despite the lead, IU rode out a battle of free throws to the victory and, come Monday, quite possibly the No. 1 ranking.