• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Fabulous freshman Gordon helps Indiana trounce UNC Wilmington

Nov 21, 2007 - 5:09 AM BLOOMINGTON, Indiana (Ticker) -- The adjustment to the college game has gone quite smoothly for Eric Gordon.

The super freshman led eighth-ranked Indiana with 30 points in a 95-71 domination of UNC Wilmington on Tuesday.

Armon Bassett scored 19 points and freshman Jordan Crawford added 15 off the bench for the Hoosiers, who shot 62 percent (32-of-53) from the field as a team.

"I think he makes them go," UNC-Wilmington coach Benny Moss said of Bassett. "Gordon does a tremendous job of getting in the passing lane and getting out in transition. (Bassett) is a pretty good second option and a guy that can shoot the basketball and beat you off the dribble.

"There aren't many weaknesses on that team. They are big, they are strong on the front line. They have great guard play that can not only shoot it but get to the basket. And then they get after you defensively. When you combine those things, you have one of the best teams in the country."

Gordon, one of the most highly-touted recruits in the country last season, shot 8-of-12 from the field and 12-of-13 from the free-throw line against the Seahawks. In three games this season, the guard from Indianapolis is averaging 28 points per game.

"He is better than what I saw on tape, and he is as good as I have ever seen on tape," Moss said of Gordon. "I don't know of any weaknesses. He can guard on the ball and he can anticipate off the ball. He can really shoot it. He can really attack the rim in transition and finish. And he is a very good free throw shooter (12-of-13 on free throws). He is as good as we have played against."

Indiana (3-0) fell behind 18-8 in the opening half when UNC Wilmington guard Daniel Fountain made a layup 4 1/2 minutes into the contest, and trailed 24-18 with 9:54 left in the opening half.

But Gordon and Bassett scored eight points apiece during a 23-5 run which closed the first half and sent Indiana into the locker room with a 41-29 lead.

"We go from down 10 to up (12) at halftime," Hoosiers coach Kelvin Sampson said. "There is a (big) turnaround in 15 minutes which shows you just how dominant our defense was in a 15-minute stretch."

Indiana did not let up in the second half, pushing the lead to as much as 88-56 when Gordon buried a pair of free throws with 7:02 left in the contest.

"If you take away their start and look at the next 15 minutes and the next five to eight minutes of the second half and I think that is the best we have played all year," Sampson said. "Our defense continually caused problems for them. We caused 26 turnovers, which I think is a season high. It is good to see the ball pressure getting out on the wing."

Forward Todd Henley led the Seahawks (1-2) with 20 points and Chad Tomko added 17.