Category: Indiana University Hoosier (I.U) Sports (Page 7 of 31)

It was a late night for the No. 4 Seed Hoosiers in Albany, but the 71-60 final score over No. 13 Kent State says it all about the ‘Magical Rule of 60.’ In its simplest form, keep the opposition from more than 60 points and mark it in the victory column. By the same token, No. 1 Seed Purdue fell short of No. 16 Farleigh Dickinson 63-58, marking the third consecutive NCAA Tourney year that the Boilermakers have been stunned by a team seeded 13 or worse. Defense is still the key to winning key college basketball games.

I.U. got only 4-points from the bench, but Trayce and Race combined for 44-points and 20-rebounds, earning the right to play No. 5 Seed Miami for a potential trip to the Sweet 16. The Hoosiers got to 60 on a TJD dunk at the 8:12 mark, securing a 12-point bulge over the Golden Flashes. It was the first step to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2016, reminiscent of the 2002 match-up between the two teams when Indiana made a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight and then defeated Oklahoma, coached by Kelvin Sampson, to get to the finale against Maryland. Sampson’s Houston team looms ahead in this year’s bracket. 

The top-seeded, I.U. women face No. 16 Seed Tennessee Tech in their NCAA Tourney opener in Bloomington. Mackenzie Holmes, matching Trayce Jackson-Davis’ honors, was also named a First Team All-American. The regular season champion Hoosiers failed to win the BIG Tournament, falling to Ohio State, despite a team-high 20-point performance from Grace Berger. They hope to regain some momentum in their drive to win the program’s first National Championship. 

I was out of town for the last three games of the season and had to monitor the play-by-play via the internet. When I first checked the score against Michigan, Indiana looked to be off to in good start on senior day at Simon Skjodt. The Hoosiers widened the margin to 14 at 4:02 before a Kobe Bufkin dunk started a run for the Wolverines and I could just hear Don Fisher saying, “suddenly, Indiana’s lead is just two at the half 29-27.” Fouls were a big issue as Galloway had three and Schifino two. Fortunately, Michigan was just 2-for-11 on 3s, while I.U. continued its season-long struggle from beyond the arc at 1-for-9. the second half for Indiana. The Wolverines pulled ahead 49-38 with 14:02 remaining and still had a double-digit lead at 10:02.  Thoughts of melancholy senior speeches, just like last year, entered my head.  However, the Wolverines seemed to stall on 59, as if they were haunted by my ‘Rule of 60’ and let the Hoosiers close the gap to 60-59 at 6:11. Despite the fact that Michigan got to the magic mark first, the game would go to overtime after both Hunter Dickinson and Trayce Jackson-Davis missed game-winning opportunities. 

I.U. took advantage of new life and scored the first six points in overtime to make it 75-69, but Dickinson’s trey cut the lead to 75-72 with 1:58 left. Race Thompson could have sealed it with12.5 seconds left, but missed both free throws and again with 4.1 seconds remaining. However, his hustle and rebounding became the difference in a 75-73 much-needed victory. He also finished with a double-double, second in scoring behind TJD’s 27-points, coupled with nine rebounds, and 4 assists, in both players’ final home game. It earned them the No. 3 conference seed in the BIG tournament, with Maryland as the first opponent.

First team All-American, Trayce Jackson-Davis and BIG Freshman of the Year, Jalen Hood-Schifino sought revenge against the Terps and responded with 24 and 19 respectively. Once again, foul trouble haunted the Hoosiers, but the bench bailed them out. Reneau and Bates were both impressive as part of the 13-point back-up contribution. It was also the eighth time  Indiana has been behind in the second half of a game but came back to win anyway, a habit we could probably do without, responding to the seven-point Maryland edge. The final score of 70-60, once again supports the magic nature of the number 60. As a result, they got the chance to avenge their worst road loss, after giving up a ridiculous 18 made three-pointers by the Penn State Nittany Lions in Un-Happy Valley.

Sadly, the United Center was also unfriendly to the Hoosiers, falling short to Penn State, missing a third shot at sweeping Purdue, and winning their first Big Ten Championship in 22 tries. However, the 22 total victories this year plants them firmly in the field for the first time in seven long seasons. I was not on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they were bound for the NIT. 

The three-point-shot continues to consistently be the downfall of this team. They either can’t make them or defend against them. Although Penn State only managed 8-23 this time, the Hoosiers responded with a disappointing 2-14 in the 77-73 loss. At the 5:25 mark, Camren Wynter hit his second trey of the night to make it 61-51, and although I.U. came back at the end, Hood-Schifino missed the game-tying three with :09 seconds to go. He finished with only 11-points playing more like a freshman than top NBA draft choice. Trayce Jackson-Davis had another double-double, as Purdue went on to win the Big Ten Tournament Championship in addition to their regular season crown and I.U. settled for the No. 4 seed in the Midwest against Kent State. The Hoosier women claimed a No. 1 tourney seed.

The women’s season has shown very consistent play throughout the year, but with the men you never know if Hoosier-Jeckyl or Hoosier-Hyde will show up on the court. At 26-1, the #2 women faced another ranked opponent with the #6 Hawkeyes. The game reflected the competitive nature of both squads with Iowa edging ahead at the end of each quarter and leading 40-39 at the half. Applying the “Rule of 60,” the third quarter ended ominously at 61-58 in favor of the Hawks and their fierce leader, Caitlin Clark. She then proceeded to hit a dramatic buzzer-beater to win the game 86-85. With this wake-up call to the men, who were in danger of a let-down after Purdue, I felt strongly that they would respond on the home court by coming out strong. How wrong this fan was!

Following the lead of the women Hawkeyes, the men jumped out to early leads of 8-0, 16-5, and 21-12 on three Kris Murray treys. By halftime it was nearly the reverse situation from the first game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with the Hawks comfortably ahead 47-36 in Bloomington. Back in early January the Hoosiers held a 50-40 lead but faded down the stretch. This time, Iowa continued to stretch the lead for a 90-68 rout.

Kris Murray finished with 26-points and Tony Perkins added 23, plus 10-rebounds, and 8-assists, just short of a triple-double. The hot Hawkeyes crossed 60 at 15:44 with a dominant lead of 61-40. They would ultimately make 13-threes thanks to Payton Sandfort’s five. Indiana only hit two from beyond the arc in eleven attempts. Turnovers were not the issue or even free throw shooting, but rebounding again reared its ugly head, as I.U. missed their opportunity to clinch a double bye in the upcoming conference tournament. The high-flying Hawkeyes were coming off an unbelievable 13-point comeback in the final 94 seconds against Michigan State.

Trayce Jackson-Davis led the hapless Hoosiers with 26-points and 13-rebounds, following up nicely after his worst game of the season against Purdue. However, the hero of the Boiler bash, Jalen Hood-Schifino was disappointedly mediocre with 8-points, 5-rebounds, and 2-assists. TJD will play his last home game on Sunday against Michigan, but JHS may not be such hot property after these last few days of discussions and interviews about top draft expectations. He may need more NCAA time to prove consistency with his game. This fan is counting on a better performance just in case this freshman sensation is truly experiencing his Senior Day early.

It was the Hoosiers that came out “Spartan Strong,” jumping to 17-10 lead on a Miller Kopp trey and didn’t commit a turnover in the first eight minutes of the game. I think both the Spartans and their fans had mixed feelings about playing in the wake of a tragedy. The lead then grew to 22-13 before I.U. was outscored 22-7 in the final minutes of the half. This collapse coincided with the exit of Jalen Hood-Schifino after picking up his second foul. Trayce Jackson-Davis appeared to be lackluster without a break and managed nine points while committing four ugly turnovers. 

It seems as if Indiana is not taking advantage of the three, despite their efficiency. Tyson Walker countered with five in seven attempts, while the Spartans doubled the Hoosiers from behind the arc. It was 61-48 at the 8:24 mark, with I.U. failing to follow the “Rule of 60” in an 80-65 loss. TJD finished with 19-points, 7-rebounds, and 5-assists, followed by JHS with 16. The loss was the 24th out of the last 26 trips to East Lansing, reflecting my disappointing “O for East Lansing” fan experiences at Breslin Hall. 

With foul trouble and tired legs, the I.U. bench has provided little support for the starters, offering just one basket and four free throws. Tamar Bates was again scoreless and has averaged only 2.4 points per game since his 17-point gem in the first Spartan meeting at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. 

I don’t like the way this season is ending. Rather than finishing strong and on a roll, the Hoosiers look tired and wounded. With no bench strength, the Purdue five looking for revenge, a rematch with Iowa, the BIG tournament, and the Big Dance ahead, it’s looking like a recipe for disaster. We also don’t know what to expect from Xavier Johnson if and when he returns? If he can give Indiana 10-15 productive minutes a game, it could be just what the doctor ordered down the stretch.

The productive Spartans also dominated the boards, out-rebounding Indiana 33-24 overall. This will be a big factor in the upcoming Boiler battle, the second of the double road test, the first of which just fell flat on its face. Purdue went 11-1 at home in 2020-21, 16-1 in 2021-22, and 13-1 so far this season. It could prove to be Mission Impossible, since no one on this team, including Coach Mike Woodson has ever won in West Lafayette. 

Coach Knight apparently continues to support the Woodson era, reporting to practice once a week. 38-years ago he hurled a chair across the Mackey court following a technical foul. The upcoming matchup will feature two consensus All-Americans for the first time since 1992-93 when Calbert Cheaney led Bob Knight to a pair of wins over Coach Gene Keady and Glenn Robinson. They did not necessarily go head-to-head like Zach Edey and Trayce Jackson-Davis. 2013 was the last Hoosier win in West Lafayette, since then it’s been nine straight Boiler wins, a habit that needs to be stopped!

While the men stumbled, the women thrived, claiming a Big Ten title for the first time in 40-years. They topped the Boilermakers in Bloomington on Senior Day as I.U. star Grace Berger and backup big Alyssa Geary received their accolades. Mackenzie Holmes and Sara Scalia have also been in the program for four years but still will maintain eligibility. At 25-1, their only loss this season has been in troublesome East Lansing, without an injured Berger. Former Boiler player, Teri Moran is completing her ninth year in Bloomington, as the women’s all-time winningest coach. South Carolina remains the only undefeated team left in the country. Thanks to Maryland, the upcoming game at Iowa is no longer a tie-breaker, as the Hoosiers, who beat the Hawkeyes earlier this year at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, claimed the outright regular season championship. 

When the men finally took to Gene Keady Court, I was not expecting what happened, as the odds were definitely against the road-weary Cream and Crimson five. For the first time since 1983, I.U. completed a four-game home-and-away sweep in men’s a women’s basketball. It still seems unlikely that both will claim a Big Ten title, as was the case 40-years ago, although the Woodson team is only 2-games behind with two to go, plus there is also the tournament championship possibility. He did finally secure his first win in West Lafayette as both coach and player in the 79-71 victory and move to 20-9 overall. Most importantly, the Hoosiers crossed the magical sixty mark first on a Trayce Jackson-Davis jumper at 9:55 for a 61-50 bulge. 

Reminding me of Isiah Thomas, freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino proved his worth as a potential NBA draft pick with a career high 35-points. Trayce Jackson-Davis scored just ten but dished-out seven assists, relying on the support of long-time teammates Trey Galloway and Miller Kopp, who each added 13 points.  Zach Edey proved to be a legitimate candidate for national player of the year. There is no rest for the weary in this stretch run, as the Hoosier women travel to Iowa and the men tackle the Hawkeyes at home. 

I

Trayce Jackson-Davis surpassed his coach, Mike Woodson (2,061), for fifth place on the all-time Indiana University basketball scoring list (2,081). After the narrow Illinois victory, his total stood at…. Calbert Cheaney leads the pack at 2,613, followed by Steve Alford at 2,438, Don Schlundt at 2,192, and A.J. Guyton at 2,100. TJD needs just 20 more to top A.J. Most likely that will happen in East Lansing. 

Coach Michael Dean Woodson was I.U. player Woodson from 1976-1980, under the watch of Coach Bob Knight. That team won the 1979 NIT over rival Purdue 53-52 on Tourney MVP Butch Carter’s dagger. Carter was also the hero with two seconds to go against Ohio State when he sank two free throws to get them to finals. Woodson was named to the first team All-Big Ten and went on to win a 1979 Pan American Games gold medal as captain of the U.S. basketball team. His senior year at I.U., Woodson, along with Isiah Thomas, won the conference title, was named the 1980 Big Ten Player of the Year, recognized as a NABC All-American, and ultimately awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball. Purdue evened the score with Woodson, upsetting the #2-seeded Hoosiers 76-69 in the 1980 NCAA Sweet 16. He then went on to play and coach in the NBA, winning a championship ring with the 2003-2004 Detroit Pistons as an assistant during the 2003–04 season.

The number 60 probably means little to Coach Woodson. He was born in 1958 and turned 60 in 2018 while serving as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers. The Atlanta Hawks hired him as a head coach in 2004, where he served in that capacity for six years before moving on to guide the New York Knicks 2012-2014. It’s now his second year at Indiana University. 

Coach Woodson was undoubtedly proud watching TJD score 26-points, grab 12-rebounds, and block five shots in leading the Hoosiers over the Illini 71-68. It was the senior’s fourth 25-10-5 game. Per ESPN Stats and Info: “No other player in the Big Ten has more than one such game in the last 25 seasons. In fact, the rest of the Big Ten has recorded 5 such games combined over that span.” It took that kind of effort to pass his coach on the list of I.U. scoring greats. 

With the score tied 59-59 against Illinois at the 5:59 mark, I thought about how much this Woodson coached team has tried to defy my Rule of 60. The first team to 60 usually wins but in two of the last three games the opponent has crossed that line ahead of Indiana. Matthew Mayer hit a free throw 16-seconds later and then the back end to make it 61-59 in favor of the Illini. However, they lost in the end 71-68. Last game, Northwestern got there first, 60-56 with 2:26 remaining and went on to win 64-62. Previously, Michigan hit 61 on a Hunter Dickenson jumper at the 5:19 mark, then lost 62-61. Rutgers barely got to 60 at the buzzer and saw the I.U. side of the scoreboard turn over to 60 on a Trayce Jackson-Davis layup at 2:26, leading the Cream & Crimson to a 66-60 win.

The Hoosiers surpassed 60 against Purdue to lead by 11 at 11:45 and held on to win 79-74. Maryland left Woodson & Company 5 short of 60 for a 66-55 victory. You can begin to see how my magic number 60 consistently comes into play in the Hoosier game. Sixty is really an arbitrary defensive goal that I monitor during every game I watch or go to. It seems to be an effective barometer to an I.U. victory, especially if the opponent is held to under 60-points. Wisconsin only managed only 45, Minnesota 57, Kennesaw State 55, Jackson State 51, Miami OH 56, Bethune 49, and Morehead State 53, accounting for seven Hoosier victories. On the other hand, Rutgers held I.U. to 48 in the first game, while Maryland allowed only 55, equating to two losses. The fact is that when I.U. reached 60 first this season so far, they’ve won 18 games and lost one to Iowa, after allowing 91-points, not their best defensive performance. 

If the opponent gets to sixty first, then the IU defense is not doing its job. This was the case in all the other I.U. losses this year: Arizona, Kansas, Northwestern twice, Rutgers, Penn State, and Maryland. Iowa has already been discussed. In those eight losses, the defense allowed an average of 78.2-points per game and the offense only scored an average of 67.5-points. Defense<60 + Offense>60 = WIN. It’s the magic formula for Hoosier basketball success.

College baseball season has started, just as catchers and pitchers report to spring training. Our neighborhood stadium featured Indiana State, Iowa, U. Conn, and Ohio State in last night’s Snowbird Classic, while Braves players are welcomed back to town this weekend as part of an open house. The first Grapefruit League game here is Saturday when the Red Sox visit Cool Today Park, just a mile from where we live. 

I.U. basketball suffered another setback this past week, losing to Northwestern in the series that dates back to 1908. The Hoosiers lost that game 21-18, but at one point won 26-straight against the “Mildcats,” as they were once known, with an overall record of 119-56. The two teams have split the last ten matchups, but it’s a rarity when I.U. fails to win in both Bloomington and Evanston the same year. When this does happen, as it did this season, you can expect bazaar circumstances. All we can do is perhaps look forward to another opportunity to redeem ourselves in the BIG Tourney, although this year it’s in Chicago. 

After storming the court against the Boilermakers last Sunday after the program’s first win over an opponent ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, the suddenly well-respected Wildcats (19-7, 10-5 Big Ten) jumped out to a 21-point bulge but needed a Boo Buie basket with two seconds left to ultimately put the Hoosiers (18-8 9-6) away.

I.U. was only able to score a season-low 20-points in the first half and trailed 39-20 at the break. They watched Northwestern attempt 18 3-pointers, mostly uncontested, plus gave up five dunks or layups and twelve perfect trips to the line.  From this fan’s perspective, the worst moment was when two technical fouls were called on the I.U. bench, protesting a missed traveling call. Here’s how another obviously bitter fan reacted on the Inside the Hall website:

“Coach Woodson should absolutely file a formal complaint to the Big 10 about official Larry Scirotto. He has demonstrated a clear bias against IU in every match he has officiated (most notably the Iowa game and yesterday vs Northwestern.) He is an alumni of Northwestern University school of police and command which is a clear conflict of interest in any game they are contesting and he has a checkered past in which he was fired from the Ft. Lauderdale police department for discrimination in hiring practices. If the Big 10 conference is serious about cleaning up the myriad problems it has with their officials it should start with the dismissal of Mr. Scirotto who is clearly not impartial , doesn’t address issues which may endanger players from certain teams and appears to be on a power trip of his own. Enough with officials like these!”

Besides the team’s gutsy resilience in this game, the most positive factor was Race Thompson, no longer sporting a brace, looking like his old self, while hitting 4-for-4 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line to finish with 15 points. Trayce Jackson-Davis had a game high 23 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots after playing for all but one minute of this come-back effort. Disappointment is all I can say for Northwestern transfer Miller Kopp, who in three games against his former team has only managed a total of 11 points on 3-for-15 shooting from the field. Jalen Hood-Schifino added 13-points but could have made the Hoosiers hysterical if his half-court, last-second shot hadn’t bounced off the iron with the scoreboard reading 64-62.

Once again, I.U. lost the critical race to 60 at the 2:26 mark just as they did against Michigan, but in this case the ball didn’t bounce the right way at the end. The hapless Hoosiers had 13-turnovers while forcing only four, but they shot better from the field than the Wildcats (48.9% vs. 36.8%). One more basket would have positioned the Hoosiers just one-and-a-half games back of Purdue, who lost to Maryland. Instead, Northwestern took over sole possession of second place with a chance to catch the Boilers. “Mildcats” no more! The Illini are next on the schedule. 

I can remember being in Ann Arbor back in 1976 during the undefeated season for an 80-74 road win. It was the first of three occasions where the two teams clashed that season, including the National Championship game. Crisler Center and its predecessors, have always been tough venues to play, with the Wolverines holding a 48-41 home advantage dating back to the 1917-18 series. The last time the Hoosiers won there was 2016. 

When it wasn’t Purdue’s Zack “Big Maple” Edey stealing Trayce Jackson-Davis’ thunder, it was Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson. However, the Hoosiers were not to be denied on this trip to Ann Arbor. Although they struggled early, Trayce Jackson-Davis had 28 points and 11 rebounds, compared to Dickinson’s sixteen and seven performance. Jalen Hood-Schifino scored 21 points, after failing to convert during the first seven minutes, and No. 18 Indiana held on at the buzzer. I.U. played with only seven, as Race Thompson sat out for precautionary reasons. Geronimo started but at one point found himself on the bench nursing his leg with an ice pack. There was also a scary moment when Hood-Schifino hit the floor hard and came up in pain holding his elbow. It’s been that kind of season! 

The Hoosiers couldn’t initially contain Jett Howard or Kobe Bufkin and ended the game with 13-turnovers. Late in the first half, Michigan led 32-21 on a Bufkin layup and Indiana looked to be roadkill. Hood-Schifino then went on a roll and scored eight straight points to bring Indiana within five at 34-29 at the half. A couple of errant layups could have evened the score. 

In the second half race to the “Rule of 60,” Indiana finally grabbed the lead at 40-39 on a Jackson-Davis bucket, but the Wolverines responded with a 10-2 run and soon led 56-54, on the verge of defying the magic. With 5:19 to go, Michigan crossed 60 on a Hunter Dickinson jumper to lead 61-58 but never scored again, as I.U. survived for its 18th victory of the season and ninth in conference play. The win was good for sole possession of 2nd with a 9-5 record, if Purdue bests Northwestern as expected. This means the Boilers would take a commanding 3.5-game conference lead over the Hoosiers with 6-games left in the regular season.

Only six of the seven Hoosiers who played put points on the board, since Tamar Bates was held scoreless during the 17-minutes he was on the court. To make matters worse, Reneau only had 2, Kopp 3, and Galloway 4. As a result, 79% of the offensive production came from Jackson-Davis and Hood-Schifino. The other oddity in this performance, was that we lost the race to sixty but won the game! 

Since losing to Penn State and giving up 85-points, the Hoosier defense has held nine opponents to an impressive 64-point average. It’s resulted in eight wins with the sole loss in that stretch to Maryland, whose stingy D held I.U. to only 55-points. By comparison, in the first three losses of 2023, the Indiana defensive average was a pitiful 86.67. This was after starting the BIG campaign at 1-1, managing only 48-points against Rutgers in a 63-48 loss before topping Nebraska 81-65. Defense is clearly the key to winning, especially when the offense then produces over 60-points.

While the men have been on a roll, the #2 ranked Hoosier women knocked off arch-rival Purdue 69-46 and then beat #5 Iowa 87-78, in front of record crowds, taking another big step to the conference championship.  The Hawkeye’s all-world player Caitlyn Clark had 35 points, but her teammates were shut down, while Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes combined for fifty-points.  The Lady Hoosiers are now 23-1 overall and 13-1 in the BIG league.

As an I.U. fan, it’s been frustrating to watch this team struggle with inconsistency. They’ve overcome injuries, but every time a player hits the floor, I wonder if they will get up again. Geronimo and Duncomb are out again, while Thompson is a step slow, and X has yet to return. Yet, they’ve won four straight, but Maryland has also been hot, winning three of the last four after being edged by Purdue. Plus, they’ve yet to lose a conference game at home.

Unfortunately, this streak continued for the Terps as Indiana shot just 38 percent from the field with only three made 3-pointers on 11 attempts. Maryland was even less effective at 34 percent, but with five 3-pointers on 22 attempts. IU allowed 22 mostly uncontested shots from beyond the arc. With just under five minutes to go in the first half and in a span of one minute and 36 seconds, the Hoosiers turned the ball over three times and gave up five points. Entering halftime, they trailed 37-29.

The Hoosiers never got to 60 and watched Maryland cross that threshold at 3:01 with a nine-point lead. 66-55 was the final, after the home team went 25-29 from the charity stripe and Jahmir Young led all scorers with 20. TJD countered with 19 and Race totaled 11, but it wasn’t enough, as IU fell another game behind Purdue in the standings. The #1 Boilermakers were headed to Bloomington with a 9-game winning streak.

The good news for the Hoosier faithful was that Mackenzie Holmes delivered 28 points with four blocks while Sydney Parrish contributed 23 points, five steals and eight boards to help the No. 4 Indiana women soundly defeat Minnesota 77-54.

At last, despite the road loss to Maryland, the Hoosier men were back in the Top 25. It was time for Hoosier fans to raise the roof at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, also referred to as “Ass Hall” by my Boiler buddies. It turned out to be a classic rivalry battle to the 60-mark that saw IU take down it’s first #1ranked opponent in a decade. The Hoosiers jumped out to a 15-point halftime bulge, scoring a masterful 50 at the mid-point buzzer.

It was Edey vs. TJD, battling for Player of the Year in the country, if not certainly for the BIG individual crown. In the end, Zach had 33 with 18-rebounds while Trayce managed 25 and only seven. Purdue was dominant on the boards 38-22 but I.U. won the game 79-75. In the process, the Cream & Crimson also won the race to 60 at 12:46 on a Schifino jumper. Jalen was also the biggest scoring factor down the stretch. The rivalry would continue in three weeks, but first a visit from the #24 Scarlet Knights.

It only seemed appropriate that Trayce Jackson-Davis finally won a series game against Rutgers and in the process became the 6th player in Hoosier history to exceed the 2,000-point achievement. The victory also moved I.U. into a 2nd place conference tie after prevailing in seven of their last eight games.