Sunday, February 18
Bloomington, Ind.
3:00 PM
Indiana University
14-11,6-8Big Ten
72
vs
76
Northwestern
18-8,9-6Big Ten
1
2
F
Northwestern
34
42
76
Indiana
26
46
72
Hoosiers Drop Decision to Wildcats
2/18/2024 5:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana gave itself a chance. It turned a potential blowout loss into a cliffhanger.
That was a positive.
That it wasn't enough, that IU lost for the fourth straight time to Northwestern, this one by a 76-72 score Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, making it six losses in the last eight games, ratchets up the disappointment.
"We have to keep working," coach Mike Woodson said. "It's frustrating. We played well enough once we got back into it, but free throws bit us in the butt."
IU (14-11 overall, 6-8 in the Big Ten) was 12-for-21 on free throws. Northwestern (18-8, 9-6) was 22-for-28. The Hoosiers continue to make free-throw shooting a practice emphasis, guard Gabe Cupps said.
"We shoot a lot in practice. We know it's something we can get better at. It all comes down to confidence and the mentality you approach the line.
"We get the reps in. We have to knock them down with confidence."
The Wildcats built a 16-point lead with six minutes left before a furious IU rally cut it to three in the closing seconds.
"It's always good to end the game with energy," center Kel'el Ware said, "but we lacked that a little bit early. We dug too deep of a hole to come back."
IU scored 46 points in the second half, 20 more than in the first 20 minutes.
"It's the pace we run the offense," Cupps said. "In the last four minutes, we were pushing the ball, running everything with pace. We were much more aggressive.
"We have guys who can make plays. It's having a consistent pace and doing it from the jump instead of waiting until our backs area against the wall."
Three 3-pointers and 9-for-11 free throw shooting helped boost Northwestern to a 34-26 halftime lead even with standout guard Boo Buie limited to eight minutes and four points because of foul trouble.
"We've got to make shots," Woodson said. "We had some good looks. There's nothing scientific about it. We moved the ball well enough to get open shots. You've got to step up and make them."
Buie finished with 14 points, five below his season average. He was just 3-for-14 from the field, in part because of Cupps' tenacious defense. It's another step in the freshman's development.
"(Buie) is a great player," Cupps said "He's tough to defend. I thought I did well when he was in his isolation stuff. He's one of best in the country at that.
"I've always taken pride on the defensive side, but at the end of the day, I didn't do enough. We didn't get the win."
Ware finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Forward Mackenzie Mgbako had 20 points. Guard Trey Galloway finished with 12 assists, seven points and three rebounds.
Forward Malik Reneau fouled out with nine points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.
"I wasn't happy with him after the game," Woodson said. "His fifth foul came so fast, I couldn't get him out in time. We have to keep working with him. We need him on the floor, especially coming down the stretch."
Buie picked up his first foul five seconds into the game. Reneau followed with a basket seconds later. Still, by the first media time out, Northwestern led 7-4.
An Mgbako free throw, which followed a Galloway 3-point, pushed IU ahead 10-9.
Buie picked up his second foul midway through the first half and went to the bench. Northwestern responded by surging ahead 20-14.
A couple of Ware baskets couldn't stop the Wildcats from taking a 27-19 lead with four minutes left in the half. They made it 30-19 before IU rallied behind a Cupps 3-pointer and dunks from Ware and forward Anthony Walker to cut the lead to six. Northwestern ended the half with a 34-26 lead. Ware led the Hoosiers with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Hoosiers scored five points in the first minute of the second half on a Reneau three-point play and an Mgbako basket. Mgbako added a pair of free throws as IU closed to within one at 34-33.
An Mgbako 3-pointer and consecutive Reneau baskets again got the Hoosiers within a point at 43-42.
Northwestern surged to a 63-47 lead with six minutes left by hitting 8-of-10 shots in a five-minute stretch.
A Cupps 3-pointer, and three points from Galloway were part of IU's 11-0 run that closed the lead to 63-58 with 2:30 left. Northwestern missed eight straight shots in that stretch.
IU got it to 73-69 with 16 seconds left on a Ware basket. A Mgbako 3-pointer made it 75-72 with 7.9 seconds left before the Hoosiers ran out of time.
Woodson again stressed the free-throw struggles.
"In close games, you've got to make them. Going 12-for-21 is not good in close games."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana gave itself a chance. It turned a potential blowout loss into a cliffhanger.
That was a positive.
That it wasn't enough, that IU lost for the fourth straight time to Northwestern, this one by a 76-72 score Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, making it six losses in the last eight games, ratchets up the disappointment.
"We have to keep working," coach Mike Woodson said. "It's frustrating. We played well enough once we got back into it, but free throws bit us in the butt."
IU (14-11 overall, 6-8 in the Big Ten) was 12-for-21 on free throws. Northwestern (18-8, 9-6) was 22-for-28. The Hoosiers continue to make free-throw shooting a practice emphasis, guard Gabe Cupps said.
"We shoot a lot in practice. We know it's something we can get better at. It all comes down to confidence and the mentality you approach the line.
"We get the reps in. We have to knock them down with confidence."
The Wildcats built a 16-point lead with six minutes left before a furious IU rally cut it to three in the closing seconds.
"It's always good to end the game with energy," center Kel'el Ware said, "but we lacked that a little bit early. We dug too deep of a hole to come back."
IU scored 46 points in the second half, 20 more than in the first 20 minutes.
"It's the pace we run the offense," Cupps said. "In the last four minutes, we were pushing the ball, running everything with pace. We were much more aggressive.
"We have guys who can make plays. It's having a consistent pace and doing it from the jump instead of waiting until our backs area against the wall."
Three 3-pointers and 9-for-11 free throw shooting helped boost Northwestern to a 34-26 halftime lead even with standout guard Boo Buie limited to eight minutes and four points because of foul trouble.
"We've got to make shots," Woodson said. "We had some good looks. There's nothing scientific about it. We moved the ball well enough to get open shots. You've got to step up and make them."
Buie finished with 14 points, five below his season average. He was just 3-for-14 from the field, in part because of Cupps' tenacious defense. It's another step in the freshman's development.
"(Buie) is a great player," Cupps said "He's tough to defend. I thought I did well when he was in his isolation stuff. He's one of best in the country at that.
"I've always taken pride on the defensive side, but at the end of the day, I didn't do enough. We didn't get the win."
Ware finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Forward Mackenzie Mgbako had 20 points. Guard Trey Galloway finished with 12 assists, seven points and three rebounds.
Forward Malik Reneau fouled out with nine points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.
"I wasn't happy with him after the game," Woodson said. "His fifth foul came so fast, I couldn't get him out in time. We have to keep working with him. We need him on the floor, especially coming down the stretch."
Buie picked up his first foul five seconds into the game. Reneau followed with a basket seconds later. Still, by the first media time out, Northwestern led 7-4.
An Mgbako free throw, which followed a Galloway 3-point, pushed IU ahead 10-9.
Buie picked up his second foul midway through the first half and went to the bench. Northwestern responded by surging ahead 20-14.
A couple of Ware baskets couldn't stop the Wildcats from taking a 27-19 lead with four minutes left in the half. They made it 30-19 before IU rallied behind a Cupps 3-pointer and dunks from Ware and forward Anthony Walker to cut the lead to six. Northwestern ended the half with a 34-26 lead. Ware led the Hoosiers with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Hoosiers scored five points in the first minute of the second half on a Reneau three-point play and an Mgbako basket. Mgbako added a pair of free throws as IU closed to within one at 34-33.
An Mgbako 3-pointer and consecutive Reneau baskets again got the Hoosiers within a point at 43-42.
Northwestern surged to a 63-47 lead with six minutes left by hitting 8-of-10 shots in a five-minute stretch.
A Cupps 3-pointer, and three points from Galloway were part of IU's 11-0 run that closed the lead to 63-58 with 2:30 left. Northwestern missed eight straight shots in that stretch.
IU got it to 73-69 with 16 seconds left on a Ware basket. A Mgbako 3-pointer made it 75-72 with 7.9 seconds left before the Hoosiers ran out of time.
Woodson again stressed the free-throw struggles.
"In close games, you've got to make them. Going 12-for-21 is not good in close games."
Team Stats
NU
IND
FG%
.354
.509
3FG%
.348
.333
FT%
.786
.571
RB
38
37
TO
3
11
STL
5
1
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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