Connecticut 68, Indiana 63.

This one really wasn't as competitive as the score might suggest. After falling behind 9-0, Connecticut controlled the rest of the game and seemed ready to blow the game open at various points. The Hoosiers hung on by a thread with some belated three point shooting, mostly from Jordan Crawford and Armon Bassett, but didn't deserve to win this game. Here's the box score, and the latest link to the Pomeroy "scouting report," which contains some tempo-free stats on a game-by-game basis.

Even on a tempo-free basis, IU ws outrebounded badly. The Hoosiers grabbed only 22.8 percent of their ample offensive rebound opportunities compared to 41 percent for Connecticut.

The only positive stat for IU was 9 turnovers, the lowest total and lowest percentage of the season for IU. Still, the rebound advantage and IU's poor field goal percentage cost IU this game. The Hoosiers too often tried to take the ball into the teeth of Connecticut's defense, and that hasn't worked for anyone this year.

The individuals:

• Eric Gordon had his worst game as a Hoosier. 14 points on 16 shots, 1-5 from three point range, 3-4 from the line. Gordon and DJ White were the only Hoosiers who shot free throws.
• DJ White had 13 points on 13 shots and had 10 rebounds.
• Armon Bassett continues to play well, with 18 points on 10 shots.
• Jordan Crawford was solid as well, with 10 points on 8 shots.

This game probably shows the limitations of stats. Pomeroy's numbers predicted a comfortable win for IU even before UConn lost two guards to suspension. Still, it was clear that UConn's formidable front line affected every two point shot that IU took, even the open ones. As far as losses go, however, I can handle this one. As bad as it was, by the end of Saturday IU was in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten, thanks to Purdue's home win against Wisconsin. Wisconsin has some decent size as well, so the Hoosiers have a tough job up in Madison, but we shall see.

UConn liveblog!

This is the first time I have tried this for basketball. We'll see how it goes.

Pregame thoughts:

• The big news, of course, is that two of UConn's guards, Jerome Dyson and Doug Wiggins, have been suspended indefinitely.
• I really loathe the "whiteouts." Crimson is a great color. Why would we want to erase it from the palate when we play a big game on national TV? Maddening. And perhaps it's my Knight-era old school notions, but the game should be about basketball. Wear what you want, cheer like crazy for the team. Assembly Hall doesn't need gimmicks.

First half:

• 18:05. 6-0, timeout UConn. Nothing to complain about so far, except a quick foul on Gordon, again. DJ manufactured a nice look, although it didn't go in.
• 16:43, 9-0. If they can't guard us on the perimeter, Thabeet won't matter.
• First TV timeout. 9-1. Liveblogging basketball is hard. Not as much predictable dead time as football. All is well so far except for four personal fouls, one each against Gordon, White, White, and Bassett.
• 9-3 14:22. You can tell that Thabeet is in their heads, but they are reacting smartly so far.
• Connecticut's uniforms are hideous.
• Second TV timeout, 15-9. Treading water for a few minutes, some bad bounces and bad decisions.
• 7:26, 16-17. Shooting 5-19 from the field, not getting good shots, missing the few they get. Where's Eric Gordon?
• 5:45--effective out of the timeout. Thomas had two good looks that he missed, nice move by Gordon.
• 3:39. Tied at 19, now back to 19-24. Missing open shots, and lots of them. As Packer notes, Thabeet seems lost out there, and we haven't taken advantage.
• 2:10 22-26. Bassett bailed us out with a 3, but about to give it right back by failing to rebound.
• Holy crap. Someone finally fell for the count.
• And wasted, just like every opportunity of the half.
• 24-29 at halftime.

Halftime: Very ugly performance by IU against a talented but undermanned Connecticut team. IU is going to have to play very well in the second half to win, and to overcome the notion that the 17-1 record is the function of nothing but an easy schedule. IU is shooting terribly--4/22 from two point range, but 4-7 from three point range. UConn is shooting 46 percent from the field. Despite loads of misses, IU has onlt 4 offensive rebounds. Turnover problems are under control, but that's about it. Gordon is 2-8 from the field, White is 3-9. Armon Bassett is 2-3.

Second half:

• Armon is keeping us in this game. And as many breaks as home teams often get from the refs, I hate to complain, but IU can't guy a FG and they miss a flagrant goaltend? Come on!
• First TV timeout, 27-33. We have played 55 minutes against good teams this year, and have looked like garbage for about 52 of those minutes.
• 36-31 Signs of life, now we need some rebounding.
• Nice look, missed bunny, UConn makes us pay. Story of the game.
• 40-31, under 12 minutes. We will lose badly. UConn played a tough game in Cincinnati Wednesdya, flew back to Connecticut, flew back to the midwest, and IU looks like the jetlagged team. I hope I'm wrong, but I think 36-31 was our last stand.
• 10:10 42-37 As I said, we're just a couple of threes from getting back into this thing.
• 7:22. Pathetic, pathetic performance.
• Well, 44-52. Somehow we are staying just close enough to keep it interesting, but we have no answer inside.
• 2:58, 50-56, Thabeet going to the line. Still sticking around.
• 55-60, 1:27. Probably prolonging the agony, but so be it.
• Good to see that Jim Burr still sucks. The smug grin is a nice touch.
• Well, too bad we were so tenative for most of the game.
• 45.4. And it's over. Gordon passed up an open shot well within his range and exacerbated it with a bad pass.
• Yeah, I'm never doing this again. More later.

The Connecticut game.

Connecticut Huskies

Current record: 13-5

Big East record: 4-3

Current RPI: 31

Current Sagarin: 28

2006-07 record: 17-14

2006-07 RPI: 110

2006-07 Sagarin: 69

Series: Connecticut leads 4-3

Last IU win: 1/20/07, 77-73 in Hartford

Last UConn win: 2/4/06, 88-80 in Bloomington

Last IU win over Uconn in Bloomington: 12/17/38 (71-38)

TV: 1 pm, CBS

Pomeroy profile

Tomorrow's game is the fourth (and I believe final) game in the current contract with UConn. The Huskies won the first two games, once in Hartford and once in Bloomington, and IU won in Hartford last year (the IU media guide says Storrs, but that is incorrect--UConn generally plays its weekend home games in Hartford, and media reports indicate that last year's game was no exception). The Huskies haven't been their usual nationally prominent selves for the last couple of seasons, but still seem likely to make the NCAA Tournament, which will make them IU's toughest home opponent of the year so far. Thanks to the expansion of the Big East, the Huskies have been spending some time in the midwest: UConn lost at Notre Dame on January 5 and defeated Cincinnati by one on Wednesday.

UConn's offensive and defensive efficiency numbers are all above average, as would be epxected for a team with UConn's record. Offensively, the Huskies make up for so-so shooting from the field by taking care of the ball, grabbing offensive rebounds, and getting to the line (UConn is #1 in the nation in that category and IU is #6, so this could be a long game). On the defensive side, the Huskies don't force many turnovers and don't rebound terribly well, but they are #2 nationally both in block percentage and two point field goal percentage. Much of the media coverage focuses on the matchup between DJ White and UConn's 7-3 sophomore Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet is a formidable shot blocker and must have a great deal to do with UConn's high ranks in blocked shots and two-point defense. He seems likely to be the key to the game.

The Season that Was, game 4: Connecticut 14, Indiana 7.

Date: 9/23/06
Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Ind.
Box score/stats
Attendance: 27,256

Played on an ugly, rainy day, this was IU’s ugliest game of the year, and was the only game in which the offense failed to score a point (a late Marcus Thigpen kickoff return touchdown accounted for IU’s only score). This game was the last start for once and future quarterback Blake Powers.

The two teams produced an amazing show of offensive ineptitude. One has to imagine that weather is a big reason. IU managed 10 first downs to Uconn’s 9. The Hoosiers, on 27 rushing attempts, netted zero yards on the ground. IU did manage 192 yards in the air, but UConn outgained the Hoosiers (easily), 284-192, despite what typically would be considered a meager offensive output. The number of punts in the game (19) equaled the number of first downs.

While Kellen Lewis ultimately emerged as the starter after this game, no Hoosier stood out on offense. Lewis managed 7-13 for 64 yards but threw two interceptions. Blake Powers was 14-30 with one INT. In the first half, IU had ten possessions. IU sustained only one of those drives for more than three plays. IU’s longest drive of the half was 28 yards. Connecticut, despite the statistical bump from this game, was not a good defensive team. The Huskies allowed 358 yards per game last season, which placed them closer to the bottom of Division I-A than the top. On the other hand, IU’s defensive numbers were way better than normal, so the weather may have been the most significant factor in this game.

Although Powers started this game, the play-by-play does indicate that Lynch (presumably at Hoeppner’s behest) rotated the two quarterbacks in and out. That’s easy to second-guess at this point, but at the time, IU was faced with deciding between an exciting young guy and a solid QB who set the school TD pass record the season before. Contrary to how it seemed at the time, this game was not the end of the Hoosiers’ season. None of the hearty folks in the sub-30,000 crowd that day would have believed that IU would enter the Bucket game with a chance to secure a bowl bid.