#12 Indiana Decimates #9 Michigan State 80-61, But Lose DJ White to Knee Injury

The Indiana Hoosiers (ranked #12 in ESPN/USA Today coaches poll) players ignored the controversy surrounding coach Kelvin Sampson and trounced Michigan State (ranked #9) 80-61 at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. The win improves IU to 21-4 overall, and 10-2 in the Big Ten as they try to keep pace with conference leader Purdue, who they will play host to on Tuesday. The loss drops MSU to 20-5 overall, and 8-4 in conference play, all but eliminating them from the Big Ten title race.

Freshman guard Eric Gordon scored 28 points in 31 minutes, and Indiana shot 54.4% from the field, but not all is well in Bloomington. With coach Sampson's NCAA recruiting violations dominating the news, and his status as coach allegedly game to game (as Indiana figures out the best possible way to fire him, while saving themselves some money), the Hoosiers will now have to contend with what could be a serious knee injury to their best big man, senior power forward DJ White. White took a tumble with 4:55 to go in the first half, and did not return to action. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on the left knee on Sunday. If he is out for a prolonged period of time, or perhaps the rest of the year, that would significantly damage IU's hopes for a Big Ten title, or to make any noise in the NCAA tourney in March.