INDIANAPOLIS --- Tom Crean sat dejected for 15 seconds before answering the first question. According to the sixth year coach, his Indiana squad didn’t match the toughness and competitive spirit of Illinois, and was eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
Tracy Abrams scored a game-high 25 points to lead Illinois past Indiana 64-54 Friday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The Illini (19-13) jumped out to an early 9-0 lead before the Hoosiers fought back. IU (17-15) lead 38-33 with 13:53 remaining before John Groce’s squad took control, including an 11-2 run to end the game.
Abrams scored a season-high 25 points to go along with 7 rebounds and his 3-pointer started the aforementioned 11-2 run with 2:07 to play.
"It was a defensive mistake,” said Crean of the Abrams 3-pointer. “That's something we practice, it was a mistake we didn't get into that rotation as quick as we needed to."
Indianapolis native Yogi Ferrell, who won two 2A high school state championships at Bankers Life Fieldhouse for Park Tudor, scored a team-high 14. However, Ferrell went 3-for-13 (2-for-9 from 3).
Ferrell’s 4 turnovers accounted for a quarter of Indiana’s 16 TOs, and the Hoosiers shot 0-for-10 from 3-point range in the second stanza.
"At some point you have to grow over when things aren't going right, Crean said. “You have to be able to overcome it and not make mistakes at the other end."
Will Sheehey scored 11 in the first half on 3-for-3 3-point shooting, and the Hoosiers shot 60 percent (6-for-10) as a team from beyond the arc in the first half. Despite being outscored in the paint 16-2, the Hoosiers trailed by just two points at halftime.
However, Sheehey ended with 13 for the game, and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Noah Vonleh finished with 6 points and 5 rebounds.
The Hoosiers took a 38-33 lead with 13:53 remaining on a Devin Davis layup, but an 11-0 run by Illinois put the Illini up 44-38, a scoring drought of just over four minutes.
Austin Etherington’s layup with just over three minutes to play cut the lead to one, causing an Illinois timeout. Two possessions later, IU could’ve taken the lead, but Noah Vonleh lost the ball going up and the 3 at the other end by Abrams put the Illini up by 4.
Illinois advances to the quarterfinals versus No. 1 seed Michigan Friday at noon.
Indiana has lost its last four games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse dating back to the last time the Big Ten Tournament was held in Indy. Tom Crean is now 2-6 in Big Ten Tournament action. The all-time series with Illinois is also knotted up at 86.
The Hoosiers now will await their NIT fate. A home game at Assembly Hall is possible after a disappointing season that included a 7-12 record against Big Ten teams.
"I hope we get to continue to play," said Crean of his team’s future.
-@samrumpza
