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Indiana rose to the occasion when it mattered most. The Hoosiers needed a big win over Michigan State on the road Tuesday night and they got the job done.
Their 72-68 win over the Spartans at the Breslin Center is a big deal for a team that not only has aspirations of winning a Big Ten championship, but a national championship as well.
Playing at Michigan State had been a thorn in the side of the Hoosiers. They had dropped 17 consecutive games on the road against the Spartans, a troubling streak that dates back to 1991, but they ended that streak behind clutch shots from Victor Oladipo.
Oladipo came through with a clutch putback, a dunk and two huge free throws down the stretch as No. 1 Indiana took control of the race for the conference championship.
Oladipo finished with 19 points, grabbed nine rebounds and racked up five steals.
So much has been made of Cody Zeller this season, and for good reason, but we were reminded again of why Oladipo is such a key to the success of the Hoosiers, who were up against a Spartans team ranked No. 4 in the nation.
Of course, Zeller did his part as well to keep Indiana on track for a conference title. The preseason player of the year candidate dropped in 17 points. When Oladipo and Zeller are both playing at a high level, the Hoosiers are a tough team to deal with.
That much was evident on Tuesday night against Michigan State, and if they continue to step up, the Hoosiers will be in a position to finish the year as the best team in the country.
Brian Lester is a college basketball writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @BLester1993.
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