Indiana Bests Northwestern in Double Overtime, 79-76

Wednesday, February 10

Evanston, Ill.

5:30 p.m.

Indiana University

11-8,6-6Big Ten

Northwestern

6-11,3-10Big Ten

OT 1

OT 2

Indiana

Northwestern

Indiana Bests Northwestern in Double Overtime, 79-76

2/10/2021 9:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Aljami Durham and Armaan Franklin refused to lose.

Specifically, Indiana's veteran guards refused to let Indiana lose, and that made all the difference Wednesday night against reeling Northwestern.

"We needed it more," Durham said.

Durham and Franklin each had career highs in the 79-76, two-overtime victory that boosted the Hoosiers to 11-8 overall, 6-6 in the Big Ten.

That gave them a two-game winning streak for the first time since early January, and what it lacked in offensive artistry it made up for in tenacity.

"Like I told our guys, this one puts a smile on my face more than any other because of what we had to go through to figure out how to do it," coach Archie Miller said.

"You don't win if you're not gritty, if you're not tough-minded. We found a way on a day we probably shouldn't have won."

In 50 minutes of play, IU led for two minutes and 35 seconds. It led for just 14 seconds in the first 45 minutes. It overcame a seven-point deficit at the end of regulation, and six points at the end of the first overtime period.

"To put it in that first overtime was incredible," Miller said. "To put it in the second overtime was even more. It was play by play. We had a lot of guys step up."

It started with Durham, who wasn't about to let this one slip away.

"It was very important to us," he said. "We haven't been able to put two together. I kept echoing that to them the whole game."

Durham put action to those words with a career-high 24 points. That included 11-for-12 free throw shooting. He added two assists, two rebounds and three steals.

"He did a good job," Miller said. "He hit a couple of big ones in the first half. In the second half he was able to pick and choose his shot. He hit every pressure free throw. It was a tremendous finish to this game."

Beyond that, Durham forced a second overtime by hitting a dramatic last-second, long two-pointer off a Franklin pass.

For the record, he was trying for a 3-pointer and the win, but stepped on the 3-point line.

"I knew he would throw it to me," Durham said. "I tried to pump fake and step back, but I missed the line. It is what it is. I didn't make the three, but I hit the two."

Franklin tied a career-high with 23 points. He was 7-for-8 from the line, and added five rebounds, three assists and four steals.

Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis gutted out a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double.

If you want surprise heroes, consider sophomore swingman Jerome Hunter. After missing two games because of coach's decision, he had seven points and five rebounds. That included a huge second-overtime 3-pointer.

"He was surprised to catch it," Miller said. "Once he turned and faced, he realized he was going to get jammed. He saw the shot clock. He's a good shooter. He's had tough go of it lately.

"He made a big basket. He made two big free throws. He was ready to play, which is a good sign for him for having a good attitude."

Added Durham: "We needed him. He's a big part of this team. I told him to stay with it. He needed to stay locked in. You never know when your number will be called. Tonight it was."

Free throws and turnovers were major problems for much of the game, but when crunch time arrived, the Hoosiers got tough.

Durham and Franklin took care of most of the free throw shooting, and the turnovers slowed, then stopped.

IU was 15-for-16 from the line in the overtime periods. It finished 27-for-38.

"It was a dramatic difference in the way we started at the free throw line," Miller said, "and the way we finished."

The Hoosiers kept finding ways to give themselves a chance. They had little first-half offense, but plenty of defense, especially in the final seven minutes to turn a 14-point deficit into three by halftime.

That mattered, but on this night, so many things did.

We fought our way through it the whole time defensively," Miller said. "We found a way to get it back in.

"Putting it in both overtimes, you could see the confidence continue to grow that we would find a way to do it."

IU opened the game 2-for-16 from the field, 0-for-6 from the line, with four turnovers to fall behind 21-7.

Then Durham hit a 3-pointer, Franklin had two, and Durham added a pair of free throws.

The Hoosiers were back in it.

Just before halftime, Jackson-Davis scored his first points on a basket that was finally awarded after a long review for a shot-clock violation. IU trailed 23-20 at halftime.

Franklin attacked the basket for a layup 10 seconds into the half. Forward Race Thompson scored his first points with an inside bucket. IU had a 24-23 lead in 90 seconds.

Northwestern (6-11, 3-10) surged ahead 32-26. The Hoosier cut it to 34-33. The Wildcats pushed to a 47-38 lead. Durham hit a three-pointer. Jackson-Davis scored inside to keep it close.

Northwestern made another push for a 54-47 lead. Durham hit five straight free throws. IU forced consecutive turnovers. Durham nailed a short jumper to complete his 7-0 run that tied it at 54-54 to force overtime.

Northwestern hit its first three shots for a 62-57 lead. Jackson-Davis banged his knee and had to leave the game with less than a minute left in overtime.

No problem.

With Durham and Franklin rising to the challenge, the Hoosiers rallied to force a second overtime, tied at 66-66.

Jackson-Davis returned, and scored. Hunter and Rob Phinisee each hit two free throws. Then Hunter beat the shot clock with a three-pointer.

It was just enough to give IU consecutive nail-biter victories.

"We've done a better job of executing later in the game," Miller said. "We're putting the ball in our guards' hands, we're keeping the floor open and see if we can create some driving lanes.

"Armaan has been a big part of that. We've put the ball in his hands in late clock situations."