Wisconsin Wisconsin/Indiana Indiana Men's College Basketball recap on ESPN

The Hoosiers hit 14 3-pointers, shot 70.2 percent from the field and nearly set two school records as they rolled to an 85-55 upset of Wisconsin (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP).

"To shoot 70 percent against this team is saying a lot," coach Mike Davis said. "These guys guard you hard, they extend you, they contested almost every shot we took."

Yet it didn't make a difference.

Tom Coverdale scored 24 points, Jared Jeffries had 18 points, Kirk Haston 16 and Kyle Hornsby 15. Jeffries was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and 1-for-1 from the foul line.

The Hoosiers (17-11, 8-6 Big Ten) proved so accurate and so efficient that they finished with their fourth best field-goal percentage ever and their best since 1989.

"It's a lot of fun any time you beat a ranked team by 30 points, it's a lot of fun," Coverdale said after hitting a career-high six 3-pointers. "I definitely felt good after I hit a couple of shots and it kind of snowballed."

The Hooisers were rolling downhill almost from the start.

Wisconsin, which allowed the fewest points (55.6) and lowest 3-point percentage (31.6) in the Big Ten entering the game, couldn't even contend Saturday.

The most points the Badgers had allowed previously was 75 in a 78-75 overtime win over Maryland the third game of the season.

The Badgers (17-8, 8-6) allowed an astounding 73.7 percent from 3-point range and the most points Wisconsin has allowed since 1995.

"I can't point one thing out that was disappointing. I don't even remember ever reading about someone shooting 70 percent," coach Brad Soderberg said. "I don't just mean ever against Wisconsin, I mean ever. I've never heard of it."

The Hoosier guards were a big reason.

After playing well against Michigan State on Tuesday night, Coverdale and Hornsby took charge Saturday.

Hornsby's first 3-pointer, just 1:44 into the game, gave Indiana the lead at 5-4, and the 3-point shooting spree was on.

Hornsby, who made five 3-pointers, hit two more during the next 4:19 as Indiana built a 19-6 lead. The Hoosiers were one short of the school record for 3-pointers, which they set Dec. 2, 2000.

But Soderberg was more upset about the way his team started.

"That's two games in a row that we really got smoked in the first five minutes," Soderberg said. "I'm just really disappointed. I think we took a huge step backward."

The Hoosiers were far from finished. After Haston sank a 15-footer, Coverdale knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers and the Hoosiers led 29-12.

Davis couldn't have asked for anything more.

"I thought it was important for our guards to be ready to shoot the ball today," Davis said. "Hornsby hitting his first shot gave him confidence and Coverdale was unbelievable."

It was that kind of day for the Hoosiers guards.

Hornsby and Coverdale combined to make 13 of 15 shots and 11 of 13 from 3-point range.

"It was exciting, it really was," Hornsby said. "No one got down when we missed a shot because we knew the next one was going in, and we played great defense."

Somehow, though, the Badgers closed within 38-29 at halftime, and got as close as 42-36 early in the second half when Kirk Penney hit a 3-pointer with 16:19 to go. Penney led the Badgers with 15 points.

But then the Hoosiers reverted to their long-range game.

Hornsby and Coverdale hit consecutive 3-pointers to make it 54-40 and, following a Jeffries layup, Jeffries and Coverdale hit two more threes to make it 62-46.

Wisconsin never threatened again.

"I thought the Indiana kids played awesome," Soderberg said. "They played tremendous basketball. Haston got them going. Coverdale and Hornsby were tremendous. They deserved to win and they deserved to win by 30."

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