BLOOMINGTON, IN. — The Indiana Hoosiers were on a nine game losing steak to their arch rival, Purdue Boilermakers. They hadn’t beaten them in Bloomington in their last six tries. However, they were undefeated at home this season. Something had to give and Mike Woodson’s crew wasn’t about to budge. When the smoke cleared the Assembly Hall floor was packed with IU fans screaming and shouting! The Hoosiers had knocked off their nemisis in a 68-65 thriller!
Rob Phinisee came off of the bench to lead the Hoosiers with a career high 20 points as All-American candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis was limited to only 11 minutes and 4 points on the night because of foul trouble.
Phinisee checked in and was unconscious from the time he touched the rock. He made his first six shots, his first three 3’s and had 4 steals. By halftime he led the Hoosiers with 17 points.
He was quiet the entire second half until he blew the roof of the joint with a go ahead three with 16.3 seconds left off of an inbound pass.
Purdue trailed the entire ball game before Mason Gillis’ layup with 1:08 left to play to put the Boilermakers up 65-63. At that point it seemed as though the Hoosiers were going to be the “no sense of urgency” Hoosiers we always get that would blow this one too.
However, Phinisee gets the inbound off of a play Woodson drew up earlier in the day. He drains the three like a champ and that put the Hoosiers up for good.
Without Jackson-Davis being dominant the Hoosiers were able to get the night Phinisee has been dreaming up his entire career. He showed up big against his hometown team.
“Every time I go home, people always talk trash to me. I just finally needed to get one,” Phinisee said. “It’s just something I won’t ever forget. Just these fans, they’ve supported me through everything, so I just want to say thank you.”
Xavier Johnson came up big for the Hoosiers too with 18 points.
Jaden Ivey was a beast for the Boilermakers finishing with 21 points.
Indiana improves to 14-4 under Woodson as the Boilermakers drop to 15-3. I can’t wait until March 5! Put your seat belts on.
