Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Drop Overtime Game at NU
10/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Hoosiers (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten) were led by LoVecchio who went 27-of-50 for 329 yards and three touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Courtney Roby caught eight passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. The eight receptions gives the Indianapolis, Ind., native 149 career receptions, passing Thomas Lewis (148 rec., 1991-93) as the school's all-time career receptions leader. Roby also needs only 58 yards to become the school's all-time receiving yards leader.
"We didn't generate much of a running game today," Indiana head coach Gerry DiNardo said. "It's a difficult thing to win a game without a running game, especially when you get into the overtime situation where you're basically playing a red zone game. Playing in the red zone without a running attack is a tough thing to do."
"Statistically it looks like it was Matt's best game at Indiana," continued DiNardo. "It looks like he did some good things, and I thought he made some plays. He probably made more plays today than in any other one single game."
With the score knotted at 14 apiece, IU's Bryan Robertson connected on a 35-yard field goal to cap off a time consuming 14 play, 63-yard drive, which lasted 6:24 seconds and gave the Hoosiers a 17-14 lead with 11:28 remaining in the fourth quarter.
However, the Wildcats evened the score at 17-17 with 29 seconds remaining in regulation on a Brian Huffman 32-yard field goal. Huffman's field goal hit the left upright, but the ball got a good carom and it bounced through to force the overtime session.
IU opened with the ball in the first overtime and on its second play, LoVecchio connected with Jahkeen Gilmore for a 25-yard score, giving the Hoosiers a 24-17 advantage. The Wildcats answered the Hoosier touchdown when NU quarterback Brett Basanez threw a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Taylor Jones to send the game to a second overtime.
Northwestern (3-3, 2-1 Big Ten) took the lead for good on the first posession in the second overtime when running back Noah Herron scored on a 16-yard run on fourth-and-one. The Hoosiers drive in the second extra period stalled when LoVecchio was dropped in the backfield for a loss on fourth-and-three.
The Wildcats were led by Herron who ended the afternoon with 238 all-purpose yards (197-yards rushing and 41-yards receiving) and three touchdowns. NU quarterback Brett Basenez threw for 254 yards and was 28-of-48 with one touchdown and one interception.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first quarter when Herron had a six-yard scamper to paydirt, giving NU a 7-0 lead. Northwestern's five play, 36-yard drive was set up by an Indiana fumble, which the Wildcats recovered at the Hoosier 36-yard line.
IU would answer with 9:14 remaining prior to the half when LoVecchio connected on a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Halterman, which capped off a 10 play, 80-yard drive. LoVecchio shined on the drive, compiling 60 total yards (35 pass, 25 rush). The touchdown reception was Halterman's first of the season and the third of his career.
The Hoosier defense was one of the main reasons why the game was kept close in the opening half with two defensive stands inside their own 10-yard line. In the first quarter, Northwestern turned the ball over on downs as it could not convert a fourth and one at IU's three-yard line. The second halt was a missed 27-yard field goal after the Wildcats had a first and goal at the Hoosier 10-yard line.
The Hoosiers nabbed the lead for the first time in the contest at the 8:43 mark of the third stanza when Roby caught a LoVecchio pass, broke a tackle and scampered 48 yards to give IU a 14-7 advantage. On the drive, which lasted nine plays and covered a season-best 92 yards in 3:18, Roby caught three passes for 70 yards and scored his team-leading fifth touchdown of the campaign.
However, the Wildcats answered on the very next drive when Brett Basanez completed a 49-yard touchdown pass to Herron, to knot things up at 14-14 with 2:52 remaining in the third quarter. Northwestern's game-tying drive was almost identical to the Hoosiers' third-quarter scoring drive, going nine plays for 94 yards in 3:16.
The Hoosiers gained 429 total yards compared to 483 yards for the Wildcats. However, NU controlled the offensive line, piling 229 rushing yards against IU's 100 yards on the ground. Additionally, Jahkeen Gilmore and David Lewis had career high's in both receptions and yards. Gilmore finished with seven catches for 80 yards, while Lewis ended the game with 6 catches for 30 yards.
The Hoosiers will have a bye next weekend and will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Ohio State. The game time and television coverage will be announced at a later date.
