BLOOMINGTON -- Indiana's resurrection night saw the return of DeAndre Thomas to relevance, Jamarcus Ellis to offensive threat and coach Kelvin Sampson to victory.

Those themes emerged, even as forward D.J. White was sidelined with a sprained knee and Sampson coached amidst NCAA scandal. The No 13 Hoosiers battered No. 10 Michigan State 80-61 Saturday night to restore, at least for a few hours, the thrill of an exciting season before the coming investigation storm.

"This was a big game," guard Jordan Crawford said. "Everybody was down on us. They said we can't beat a top-25 team."

They can't say that anymore.

"A great win for these kids," Sampson said.

Remember Thomas? He hadn't been a factor since December. He'd found the bench, and a few extra pounds, which is why Sampson had returned him to two-a-day conditioning sessions. Then White went down and Thomas scored more points (10) than he'd totaled in his previous seven games. He showed that, at least for one night, IU had another inside option.

"He kept his attitude at a high level and kept up his confidence (when he wasn't playing)," Sampson said. "When he got his opportuinty, he was there."

What did Thomas think when White got hurt with five minutes left in the first half?

"Oh, man, I have to play now," he said. "You have to pick up the load when he went down. I went in there and did what I had to do."

Remember Ellis? He was a 21.4 percent three-point shooter -- yes, Sampson had mentioned that to him -- who hadn't made two three-pointers in a game all season. In fact, he'd made just two three-pointers in his last 10 games. He made two against Michigan State and scored 12 points.

"Coach Sampson talks to me a lot about my three-point percentage," Ellis said, "but that gives me a lot of confidence. I've been working on it a lot after practice."

Then there was Gordon, who matched and then surpassed Michigan State's Drew Neitzel's 21 points with 28 points. His 522 season points broke the IU freshman record of 500 set by Mike Woodson in 1977.

Directing it all was Sampson. Not so long ago, faced with the prospect of appearing before an angry Assembly Hall crowd, former coach Mike Davis caught a cold and didn't show up. Sampson strode into boos with a game-face hard enough to cut diamonds.

He coached with passion and energy and hugs, as if he'd be doing this in Assembly Hall for another decade instead of, perhaps, another week. At one point he was so pumped about Thomas' play that he chest-bumped the burly forward as Thomas jogged off the court.

The Hoosiers (21-4) responded. Their offense thrived, their defense flustered and the Spartans (20-5), rocked four days earlier at Purdue, buckled.

"I can only control what I can control, and that's coach the team," Sampson said about the university investigation that could end his two-year IU run. "You can't go anywhere and not see the (NCAA) situation.

"I try to be a father to these kids. I'm stern with them. I comfort them. I care about them. I coach them. I've worked at making sure they get 100 percent. That's what they deserve."

All this prevented ESPN Gameday coverage from becoming a public relations disaster. Still, many of the 5,000 or so fans who attended the morning show booed whenever Sampson's name was mentioned, while others chanted "talk about the game" whenever NCAA allegations were mentioned (which was often). Commentator Digger Phelps, the former Notre Dame coach and Bob Knight friend, said Sampson should be fired.

"We're a family," Gordon said, "and whatever happens happens. We play for Coach every game. That's why we came here -- to play for Coach."

IU's start couldn't have been worse. The Spartans bolted to a 15-4 lead. And when White left the game, it looked bleak. White had a shot blocked and hit the floor hard while clutching his left knee. He struggled to get up and hobbled to the locker room. He didn't play again. Sampson said it doesn't look like ligament damage, but White will have a MRI today.

So in came former walk-on Kyle Taber, back came the 2-3 zone and swish went the three-pointers. IU was 5-for-9 beyond the arc in the first half while building a 41-33 lead. The sharpshooting continued in the second half to push the Hoosiers to 10-2 in the Big Ten. They are within range of first-place Purdue (12-1) entering Tuesday's Assembly Hall showdown.

And in Saturday's final resurrection, booing Sampson became cheering Sampson. It was a return to what had been and, if not for the phone call indiscretions, would continue to be. Sampson dismissed it, with this exception:

"It felt good for my wife, Karen, and my daughter, Lauren."