At the Buzzer: Northwestern 64, Indiana 62
Quick thoughts on a 64-62 loss at Northwestern:
How it happened
Three minutes into Wednesday’s game in Evanston, Indiana led 6-2 after a Jalen Hood-Schifino jump shot. That would be the highlight of the first half for the Hoosiers. Northwestern brought relentless pressure defensively and Indiana couldn’t handle it. By the 9:19 mark, Northwestern’s lead was 21-12 after two technical fouls against Indiana. One was on the bench and the other was against Mike Woodson, who made contact with official Larry Scirotto. Things only went downhill from there. Northwestern’s lead ballooned to 21 late in the half as Indiana simply wasn’t competitive with the Wildcats. Had Northwestern shot better from the perimeter (5-for-18), it would have been an even bigger lead. In the opening 20 minutes, Indiana scored just .65 points per possession and trailed 39-20 at intermission.
Indiana came out far more aggressive in the second half. The Hoosiers got within 15 at 42-27 on a Trey Galloway 3-pointer, but Robbie Beran answered with a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 18. But Indiana kept chipping away. By the under-12 media timeout, the Hoosiers were within nine at 49-40 after a 13-4 run. Indiana got within six at 53-47 on a Race Thompson 3-point play, but Ty Berry answered with a 3-pointer to push the Northwestern lead back to nine. The Hoosiers got within five at 56-51 on a pair of free throws by Trayce Jackson-Davis and then got a stop, but turned it over. Boo Buie hit a jump shot on the next Northwestern possession to give the Wildcats a 58-51 cushion.
Out of the timeout, Jackson-Davis scored to make it 58-53 and after a Brooks Barnhizer missed a 3-pointer, Jackson-Davis converted a 3-point play to make it 58-56. After a Northwestern timeout, Tydus Verhoeven scored to make it 60-56, but Jackson-Davis answered with another bucket to make it 60-58 with 1:58 to play. Indiana had possession and a chance to tie it, but Jalen Hood-Schifino threw an errant lob that went off the backboard. Buie answered with a bucket on the next possession to make it 62-58 and then Jackson-Davis answered to make it 62-60 with 34 seconds left. Miller Kopp got a steal and fed Jackson-Davis for a bucket to tie it at 62 with 28 seconds to go. But Northwestern scored last as Buie hit a shot from just outside the lane with just under three seconds to go to lift the Wildcats to a 2-point win.
Standout performer
Jackson-Davis nearly had a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in 39 minutes.
Statistic that stand out
Indiana held Northwestern to just .833 points per possession and 25 points in the second half, but it wasn’t quite enough in the narrow loss.
Final IU individual statistics
Final tempo-free statistics
Assembly Call postgame show
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
Filed to: Northwestern Wildcats