BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The holiday season has come and gone, so Indiana's Hoosiers need to get out of gift-giving mode by the time Thursday's 7 p.m. home tipoff against Illinois rolls around.
The Illini thrive when the other team gives the ball away.
Illinois has 100 steals through 13 games and has benefited from 237 total turnovers by the opposition (18.2 per contest). Indiana has had some issues in that category, having committed 184 through its 11-2 start (14.5).
And the Hoosiers will play Thursday – and probably Sunday's assignment at unbeaten, No. 2-ranked Michigan – without their primary ball-handler, freshman point guard Rob Phinisee, who remains in concussion protocol.