CHICAGO — Indiana’s stay at the Big Ten Tournament, and perhaps its season, came to an abrupt end Wednesday.
After taking a one-point lead into halftime, the Hoosiers watched their offense disappear in the second half as No. 15 seed Northwestern pulled away for a 74–61 win over No. 10 seed Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center.
Head coach Darian DeVries mentioned that the administration had not yet decided its postseason fate, regardless of if their name is called Sunday evening.
Indiana led 37–36 at the break and appeared poised to control the game early. But the Wildcats tightened defensively after halftime and gradually separated, outscoring the Hoosiers 38–24 in the second half.
Northwestern head coach Chris Collins said the turning point was clear.
“Whatever team was going to buckle down and find a way to get stops in the second half would gain control of the game,” Collins said.
It was Northwestern that ultimately did. The defensive upstart allowed the Wildcats to take down Indiana for the seventh consecutive meeting, good for their second win over IU in just 15 days. In fact, those two wins make up all Quad-1 victories for Collins' group this season.
Indiana managed just five field goals in the final 20 minutes, shooting 5-for-20 from the floor and 1-for-7 from 3-point range in the second half. The Hoosiers finished with 24 second-half points and shot 25 percent after halftime.
The offensive drought allowed Northwestern to seize momentum midway through the half, eventually building a lead as large as 18 points before closing out the victory.
Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli led all scorers with 28 points, continuing a hot stretch that has now reached seven straight 20-point games. Freshman guard Jake West added 18 points for the Wildcats, who shot 48 percent from the floor and committed just six turnovers.
Indiana was led by Lamar Wilkerson’s 17 points, while Tayton Conerway added 14. Tucker DeVries finished his Indiana career with just six points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Despite the loss, Indiana held advantages in several categories, including a 23–9 edge in bench scoring. But the Hoosiers struggled to generate consistent offense once Northwestern’s defense tightened in the second half.
After the game, Wilkerson pointed to the same issue that plagued Indiana down the stretch of the season.
“I just feel like we just got stagnant,” Wilkerson said. “We just weren’t playing our best basketball.”
Indiana had entered the conference tournament hoping to revive its postseason chances, but the loss marked the team’s seventh defeat in its final eight games.
For senior Tucker DeVries and the rest of Indiana’s veteran group, the ending was difficult.
“It really sucks that none of us are really going to put this uniform on again,” DeVries said.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, advanced to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals where they will face Purdue.
Indiana’s season, barring no postseason tournaments, ends with an 18–14 record.
