Underdogs again

Hoosiers have work cut out to beat Terps, win title

AP

ATLANTA (AP) -- Indiana has found different ways to win in the NCAA tournament. It probably will have to come up with another to beat Maryland in the championship game Monday night.

"You don't have to be the best team, but you only have to be the best team that day," Indiana coach Mike Davis said.

The fifth-seeded Hoosiers beat second-seeded Oklahoma 73-64 Saturday night to reach the title game for the first time since 1987. Reserve Jeff Newton scored a career-high 19 points and Indiana pounded the ball inside to put the Sooners in foul trouble.

Maryland, the top seed in the East, reached its first final with a 97-88 victory over Kansas in the second semifinal.

Newton, a rail-thin 6-foot-9 junior center playing in front of his hometown crowd, drove around and over the Oklahoma defense to score his points in only 23 minutes. His play helped the Hoosiers to a 32-28 advantage in the paint.

But Indiana might not be able to do that to the Terrapins, who play an inside rotation of Lonnie Baxter, Chris Wilcox and Taj Holden. Those three burned Kansas for 35 points and 21 rebounds, even though Baxter played only 14 minutes before fouling out.

The Hoosiers also have the option of going outside, like they did against Kent State last Saturday in the South Regional final when they were 15-of-19 from 3-point range.

"I think they're on a mission," Maryland coach Gary Williams said of the Hoosiers. "Indiana is a very good basketball team.

"I think people need to stop saying that they're are only three good basketball teams here. I think that's done now. They've proven themselves."

Indiana will need more from leading scorers Jared Jeffries and Tom Coverdale, who combined for only 11 points against Oklahoma.

"I can't remember a game like that because normally Jeffries and Coverdale are the main two scorers," Davis said.

Regardless, the Hoosiers won't practice Sunday.

"We never practice on Sundays," Davis said. "We're going to stick with our same routine that we've been doing since I've been here. The guys have a day to rest."

 

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