(REUTERS) — Bracey Wright scored 21 points and Jeff Newton added 20 points and 10 rebounds as Indiana snapped a five-game losing streak with a 63-49 win over Michigan Wednesday night.
The Hoosiers (15-8, 5-5 Big Ten) were in their worst skid since the 1971-72 season — the last time they lost five straight — and a possible NCAA tournament berth appeared to be slipping away.
Head coach Mike Davis decided enough was enough, and it was time for a change in the starting lineup. He inserted freshman Marshall Strickland at point guard, slid Tom Coverdale over to shooting guard and benched Kyle Hornsby.
Michigan, which entered tied for first in the Big Ten, has all three conference losses on the road. Daniel Horton led the Wolverines (14-9, 7-3) with 16 points.
Wright, whose torrid start was derailed by an injury, appears to be back in the groove. After scoring 20 points in a loss to Michigan State, Wright followed with a 7-for-12 effort from the floor.
He scored five points to open the second half, and Newton added a basket for a 39-20 lead, Indiana’s largest of the game.
The Wolverines went on a 14-3 run, capped by Lester Abram’s 3-pointer, and pulled to 42-34. It wouldn’t be their last run, but they couldn’t sustain them enough to mount a serious challenge.
Wright and Newton followed with consecutive three-point plays for a 48-34 lead, only to have Michigan pull within 10 twice more with 6:15 remaining.
The Hoosiers finally put them away for good in the closing minutes. Newton scored five points as part of a game-ending 17-5 run.
The Hoosiers out-rebounded the Wolverines by eight in the first half, which led to a 15-2 edge in second-chance points. They led 32-18 at halftime.
Strickland scored six points in his second career start. Hornsby, who played fewer than 20 minutes only twice this season, was scoreless in 14 minutes.
The problems aren’t necessarily over for Indiana, however. The Hoosiers play their next games on the road — at Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. They’re 0-4 on the road in Big Ten games and haven’t won away from Assembly Hall since Dec. 31.
Northwestern 78 Purdue 67
Aaron Jennings had a career-high 20 points as Northwestern made 13 of 14 free throws over the final 1:06 in a 78-67 win Wednesday over Purdue.
Willie Deane’s 3-pointer cut the Northwestern lead to five with 42 seconds left. After a pair of free throws from Winston Blake, Mohamed Hachad stole the Purdue inbounds pass and was fouled.
Hachad then made both free throws, giving the Wildcats (10-11, 1-9 Big Ten) their second big home victory in the last week. The Wildcats upset Indiana 74-61 last Wednesday, ending a 26-game losing streak to the Hoosiers that dated back 15 years.
As they did in the Indiana game, students streamed onto the court after the win and mobbed Northwestern players in celebration.
Jason Burke had 14 points, including two free throws over the final stretch, and six assists.
Purdue (15-6, 7-3) entered the game tied with Michigan for the Big Ten lead and could have taken sole possession of first place with a win. Michigan lost Wednesday to Indiana.
Deane had 19 points for Purdue, but was just 5-of-16 from the field. Chris Booker added 14 points.
With Wildcats leading 52-40, Darmetreis Kilgore scored four straight points to cut the deficit to eight and Booker stole the ball near midcourt and scored on a breakaway to make it 52-46.
However, the Wildcats quickly got the lead back to 11 on a long 3-pointer by T.J. Parker and a layup by Jennings and were able to make their free throws down the stretch for the win.
Purdue was coming off a 90-68 loss at Minnesota. Head coach Gene Keady questioned his team’s focus after the loss, saying the Boilermakers were inexplicably unmotivated even with the conference lead on the line.
They certainly came out flat against the Wildcats under similar circumstances.
The Boilermakers, third in the Big Ten in scoring at 75.5 points per game, scored a season-low 20 points in the first half, shot 25 percent and trailed 31-20 at halftime.
Northwestern took its largest lead of the first half after Keady was called for a technical foul with the Boilermakers trailing by 10 with 1:02 left before halftime.
A charging call at midcourt on Austin Parkinson enraged Keady, who stormed to the end of the Purdue bench and back, then gave officials a sarcastic bow after picking up the technical.
Blake made one of two free throws, and then found a cutting Davor Duvancic for a layup and a 13-point Wildcats lead.