Over and back, over and back. The Illini will play it over a thousand times, but nothing can bring this one back.
Indiana got a big break at the end Thursday night, but it wasn`t a miscarriage of justice. The Hoosiers made their own breaks with a five-man defensive scramble and a one-man show on offense–Steve Alford`s game-high 24 points.
So Bobby Knight`s team escaped with a well-deserved 61-60 victory over Illinois to take over first place in the Big 10 from faltering Michigan. Crew chief Verl Sell overruled a disputed decision by colleague Eric Harmon in the final seconds to blunt the Illini`s last-ditch charge.
The Hoosiers had the ball and a one-point lead with 43 seconds to go when reserve Stew Robinson dribbled to the midcourt line, warily put one foot across, then froze at the sound of Harmon`s whistle.
Illini guard Bruce Douglas pantomimed ”over and back” and the Assembly Hall crowd of 16,349 erupted when Harmon ruled that Robinson had committed the violation, turning the ball over to Illinois. The home fans` joy was short-lived because Sell decreed that Robinson had not brought the ball over and back–the new wording of the NCAA rule–so Indiana still had possession.
”Let`s suppose it was a bad call,” said Illini coach Lou Henson, trying to keep his composure. ”You can`t argue about one of those things, but the lead official talked him (Harmon) out of it.
”Through 31 years of coaching, I`ve never seen that happen before.”
The call might have been different, but the score remained the same. It was still 61-60, Indiana, after the Illini got the ball back, somehow maneuvered it upcourt in the last 2 seconds and let Tony Wysinger try to make the game-winning shot. His 12-footer, partially deflected by Indiana`s Todd Meier, fell short, and Efrem Winters` tip-in try also failed.
”I had time to take one dribble and shoot,” said the disconsolate Wysinger.”It just didn`t go.”
So instead of a wide-open, five-way scramble in the Big 10 race, Indiana (10-3 in the conference, 18-5 overall), struggled atop the ladder by a half-game over Michigan. The Illini (8-6, 17-8) let a golden chance to join the Big 10 race slip through their fingers.
Knight, a model of decorum on the bench all evening, defended Sell`s move. The Hoosier coach also tried to keep things in perspective by pointing out that a lot of defensive-oriented basketball had preceded the decision, with still more following it.
”I can take the ball right up to the line, make my move and bring my foot back if the ball isn`t across the line,” Knight said. ”That rule was just put in this season.”
The Hoosiers have the Big 10`s best road record (5-1). Every other conference team had lost at least three times away from home. But Indiana was a modest 5-2 at home.
Knight had his team coming on in the stretch, as usual: Indiana had won 9 of 10 before this pivotal weekend. With Purdue awaiting them Sunday in Mackey Arena, the Hoosiers knew this assignment against the Illini was the most critical of the season.
Douglas knew it, too, and the Illinois floor leader was ready for the test. He scored the game`s first six points, getting the Assembly Hall crowd stirred up and putting his teammates in high gear. Douglas also had the defensive assignment on Indiana scoring leader Steve Alford. Tony Wysinger scored another basket, hiking the lead to 8-0, before Alford and the rest of the Hoosiers got untracked.
When Alford slipped inside to put the visitors on the scoreboard for the first time with 16:04 to go in the opening half, the Illini balloon deflated with startling swiftness.
Indiana reeled off 9 unanswered points. Winston Morgan`s fast-break layup put Indiana in front and the lead grew to 13-10 before Ken Norman broke the spell. Norman`s 3-point play pulled Illinois even at 13-13 with 12:24 left in the half.
Norman and Indiana`s Daryl Thomas were waging war at both ends of the court. After Norman broke free in the lane to knot it once more at 15 with a short jumper, the game settled down to the expected defensive test.
But the Illini went ice-cold after their opening spurt, missing repeatedly from short range. Douglas failed on a couple of free throws and Indiana responded with another flurry, this one 7-0 to go on top 22-15.
It took a rebound basket by Scott Meents 7:16 before intermission to break that run. But Illinois was unable to put the ball in the basket consistently, staying in range mainly on offensive rebounding. Meents made one of two free throws, cutting the gap to 26-22, but Douglas blew the layup on a fast break and Alford tallied at the other end to put Illinois down by 6 with three minutes left.
Winters finally contributed by putting in the rebound of a wild Wysinger shot, but Alford hit from outside twice in a row. Holding for the last shot, the Hoosiers got a 20-footer from Alford to lead 34-28 at the half.
Indiana`s defense was the dominant factor, holding the home team to 48 percent shooting (13 for 27) in the half. Forwards Anthony Welch and Winters had one basket between them, so Norman had to carry the scoring burden with 11 points, Douglas adding 8. Alford`s late spree made him the leader at halftime with 14 points.
