After an intense showdown against Ohio State, Indiana looks to extend their win streak to 2 as they take on Northwestern. Read more for a full Indiana vs Northwestern prediction and preview.
Game Information:
Teams: Indiana (14-5) (5-3) and Northwestern (11-7) (2-5)
Tip-off: Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. EST
Watch: Big Ten Network
Listen: WHCC 105.1 FM
Latest on Indiana basketball:
The Hoosiers and Buckeyes battled for the entire game. It truly was a nail-biter, as Indiana won in overtime with just a one-point margin of victory (77-76). Both teams were desperate for a win, as they were on a losing streak. Throughout the game, the lead changed 13 times.
Indiana prevailed, and they did so with a new lineup. Significant injury reports included Bryson Tucker and leading scorer Malik Reneau. Tucker was placed on the injury report for unclear reasons, and Reneau is still suffering a right knee injury from the opening minutes of the Rutgers game on Jan. 2. Myles Rice played limited minutes as he found himself in foul trouble early. This skyrocketed Kanaan Carlyles’s minutes, which he used to score 13 points, grab 4 rebounds, and assist once. He undoubtedly brought energy to the court.
Trey Galloway did not start against the Buckeyes. Instead, Anthony Leal took the starting spot. This surprised most, as it was only his third career start and his first time entering the starting lineup this season. His leadership as a fifth-year player showed, and he helped the Hoosiers to victory.
Indiana’s key players included Oumar Ballo and Luke Goode. Ballo has continued to put up stellar performances game after game. He recorded his fifth double-double in six games, scoring 21 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Goode brought the heat on offense, scoring 23 points, his new career high. He is also visibly Indiana’s go-to 3-point shooter. He shot 4-7 from downtown, which is good for the Hoosiers, considering they are not known to be a 3-point team.
Overall, Indiana’s shooting percentage was definitely sub-par during the first half. They shot 33.33% field goals and only 11.11% behind the arc. They picked it up in the second half to secure the win, shooting 55.56% from the field and 33.33% with 3-point shots.
Indiana must channel the successful games they have had this season. Before facing OSU, they suffered embarrassing losses against Iowa and Illinois. Their fanbase was furious with their performance against the Fighting Illini at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, so they must prove they can compete against Big Ten opponents.
Mike Woodson also needs this win, considering that Northwestern is the only Big Ten opponent that, through 75 regular season and tournament games, he has coached Indiana against but has not beaten.
Latest on Northwestern basketball:
Northwestern is currently 11-7 overall and 2-5 in conference play. Something about Northwestern’s record stands out for Indiana fans: their win over Illinois, where the Fighting Illini defeated the Hoosiers with a final score of 94-69. Back in December, Northwestern beat Illinois 70-66 in overtime.
Their other conference win was against Maryland, with a final score of 76-74 in overtime. In that game, junior forward Nick Martinelli led the way in scoring for Northwestern, posting 22 points. Senior guard Brooks Barnhizer also had a very notable performance that game with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Martinelli is currently the leading scorer for Northwestern, averaging 20 points a game, and Barnhizer is leading the team in rebounds, averaging 9.3 a game.
Head coach Chris Collins leads Northwestern. Collins was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 2022-23 season. Over his 11 seasons with Northwestern, he has willed the team to compete in three NCAA tournaments, the only appearances in program history.
Northwestern currently falls just below Indiana in Big Ten rankings at number 6.
[…] basketball is coming off a 79-70 loss to the Northwestern Wildcats on Wednesday. The Hoosiers didn’t perform […]