Indiana Hoosiers: Survive Scare to Top Michigan and Improve to 14-1 on Season

For most of this game, Indiana seemed to be toying with Michigan. There never really was that threat that the Wolverines were actually going to beat the Hoosiers.

Indiana pulled away in the first half and led 17-6 at one point. The Hoosiers let Michigan come back a couple of times before jumping back up by 10 with 7.5 minutes to play in the game.

Michigan, which hasn't had much success in Assembly Hall, tried a furious comeback but failed in their 73-71 defeat. The win would have been their first win since 2009 at Assembly Hall, and their second since 1995.

The Hoosiers are now a perfect 11-0 at home this season and have won three of those games against top 15 opponents.That's the first time for this feat since the 2005-2006 season.

The key for Indiana's win was Christian Watford's ability to expose Michigan's weakness at power forward. For most of the game, Indiana natives Zack Novak and Stu Douglass were guarding the more skilled and powerful junior.

Watford made them pay by scoring a game-high 25 points, as he hit the clinching free throw with 2.9 seconds left to give Indiana the victory.

Watford finished 8-for-11 on the field including 3-for-4 from three-point land.

His 6'9" size was way too much for the 6'4"-and-under defenders. By getting to the lane he forced Michigan's big men to slide over, and it helped freshman Cody Zeller have a big night as well.

Zeller finished with 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting. That's a combined 16-for-21 performance out of Indiana's big men.

The Hoosiers also shot a blazing 7-for-11 (63 percent) behind the arc. The ball movement was fantastic which led to open shots.

Michigan was led by superb sophomore Tim Hardaway Jr. who had 19 points of his own.

The Hoosiers face Penn State (9-7) on Sunday at noon at Bryce-Jordan Arena in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions got their first Big Ten win of the season by 20 points over Purdue tonight.