On Thursday night, Tom Crean earned his first Top 25 win as Indiana's head coach, and the Hoosiers snapped a 19 game losing streak to ranked opponents against rival Illinois. Indiana came out on top with a final score of 52-49. Their last win against a Top 25 opponent came on February 19th, 2008.
For the second straight game, Demetri McCamey didn't show up for the Illini, scoring only six points. Proving time and time again to be costly to Illinois. Mike Davis had the highest point total for the Illini with 14 points.
Anytime your star isn't performing, it is going to severely hurt your chances of winning. McCamey is putting that one on his team right now. He shot 2-11 from the field. It is almost as if McCamey has lost his spark. After Christmas, he was excelling, little by little he has started to lose his spark, and this Indiana game proved that it is no longer there for him.
Demetri McCamey will need to get it back, as their schedule doesn't get any easier. They play Penn State next, a team they have already lost to this season.
Indiana's Jordan Hulls had 18 points and Christian Watford had 16. They lead the Hoosiers to the most memorable post game celebration in recent memory.
The Hoosiers went 11 for 11 from the free throw line, proving how necessary it can be to convert your free throws into points.
The Illini had a chance to tie it with twelve seconds left on the clock, but the cold shooting continued as they missed, and the students stormed the court. The loss to Indiana means the Illini have lost the last four of five.This is a big step for Tom Crean and his rebuilding efforts at Indiana, with good recruiting coming in, getting a win like this improves your ability to show your recruits that progress is being made.
Illinois has now fallen four games back from first place Ohio State. A bunch of questions remain for the Illini. It is absolutely necessary to get a win at home against Penn State, a team that the Illini always seem to struggle with.
This win also leaves Iowa alone in last, as Michigan and Indiana battle it out to move up a notch in the Big Ten.