Tom Strattman / AP

Indiana guard Armon Bassett jumps into the arms of coach Kelvin Sampson during the second half of the No. 13 Hoosiers' 80-61 win over No. 10 Michigan State on Saturday night.

updated 11:32 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2008

Embattled coach Kelvin Sampson may always cherish Saturday night’s victory over No. 10 Michigan State.

It meant even more to Indiana basketball.

Eric Gordon scored 28 points and broke Mike Woodson’s school scoring record for freshman, keeping the 13th-ranked Hoosiers in the Big Ten title chase with an 80-61 victory over the Spartans.

“Yes, I think so,” Sampson said when if this win meant more to him than others. “But you know, these games are about these kids. Basketball is so much bigger than any one person, and the game is always about the players.”

It would have been hard to tell this week when Sampson’s NCAA troubles overshadowed basketball.

On Wednesday, the NCAA accused the Hoosiers coach of five major rules violations, including providing false and misleading information to investigators. On Friday, university officials announced it would conduct a second internal investigation, which is supposed to be completed by next Friday.

Fans refused to wait that long to voice their opinions.

Supporters waved signs that read “Save Sampson” and “If O.J. is innocent, so is Sampson.” Proponents of firing Sampson countered with placards reading “Sampson get off the phone” and “Every IU student prefers Knight, see ya Sampson,” a reference to former Indiana coach Bob Knight.

Others could be overheard talking about the risky move Indiana made when it hired the former Oklahoma coach two years ago. And for the second straight home game, Sampson drew more boos than cheers during pregame introductions.

“There’s no doubt what he’s done has tainted the program and we don’t want him to be part of it,” said Lisa Adams, an Indiana sophomore from Northbrook, Ill.

Yet the same people disgusted by the allegations, offered unified support for the Hoosiers on a night they desperately needed it.

With a shot at winning their first Big Ten title since 1993, still missing a signature victory on their resume and having endured four days of tortuous speculation about Sampson’s future at Indiana, the Hoosiers finally turned it around.

Gordon provided the lift after senior forward D.J. White landed awkwardly on his left leg and rolled out of bounds with 4:55 left in the first half. White, the Big Ten’s top rebounder and No. 2 scorer, eventually was helped to the locker room and didn’t return to the sidelines until late in the second half.

Video   Resolution promised at Indiana Feb. 15: School president Michael McRobbie discusses steps he's taking following NCAA allegations against Kelvin Sampson.

“I think when a kid gets his knee injured, he’s a little afraid, and he was a little afraid at halftime,” Sampson said. “He said ’Coach, it doesn’t feel right.’ The doctor said ’I don’t think we should play him,’ and I said, ’I agree. If it doesn’t feel right we should hold him out. He’s too valuable to us.”

Ask the college basketball expert Near-perfect start won't be enough for Big East Have a question? Ask Ken

The freshman guard took over on offense, finishing 9-of-15 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. He also broke Woodson’s mark of 500 points, which had stood since 1976-77, and came within a basket of becoming the first Indiana freshman with four 30-point games in a season. Gordon has now scored 520 points.

Thomas produced his best game of the year, finishing with 10 points and four rebounds and gave Indiana (21-4, 9-2) enough muscle inside to contend with the Spartans’ tough rebounders.

It was the perfect prescription for the ailing Hoosiers.

“I went, ’Aw, man,’ “ Thomas said of White’s injury. “But you’ve got to play. If something happens to him, we all have to pick our game up.”

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