Second-half collapse sinks IU basketball in loss at Northwestern

  • Jan 23, 2025 8:03 am in

EVANSTON, Illinois — At one point, they were flying.

Defensively, Indiana men’s basketball’s collapse against Northwestern had already begun taking shape. But midway through the second half Wednesday night in the Hoosiers’ 79-70 loss, one sequence inspired hope that they might land enough counterpunches to overcome the Wildcats’ 3-point onslaught and escape the night with a victory.

After Luke Goode drained a triple, Myles Rice poked away a pass from Northwestern’s Brooks Barnhizer and darted toward the other end for a transition layup. Rice pumped his fists, repeatedly shouting, “Let’s go!” as head coach Mike Woodson enthusiastically clapped in his direction.

The pockets of crimson on hand at Welsh-Ryan Arena were ignited.

Indiana made one stop. Goode splashed another 3-pointer just after. Another stop. Oumar Ballo slammed home an alley-oop dunk. For nearly 10 minutes in the first half, the Hoosiers held the Wildcats to two points.

Now here — against a team Woodson failed to beat in his first four tries — Indiana built serious momentum. And over the ensuing nine minutes, with one triple after the next, the Hoosiers saw it gradually slip away.

Why couldn’t Indiana stay connected and piece together a strong final stretch? Woodson himself didn’t have an answer.

“I wish I knew,” Woodson said postgame. “I’m still trying to figure it out.”

Much of the explanation rests with the team’s perimeter defense. An issue that plagued the Hoosiers greatly last year, defenders frequently miscommunicated and allowed open looks for Northwestern shooters Wednesday night.

Ty Berry was the primary beneficiary. Whether it was Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako or Anthony Leal on defense, Berry still easily got to his spots and knocked down shots. The senior guard exploded for 11 straight points in the first half and finished with a game-high 23 points on 7-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Wildcats shot a combined 13-for-27 from distance (48.1 percent), with Berry, Jalen Leach and Nick Martinelli all sinking multiple triples.

“They made 3-point shots all over the floor, and we never responded,” Woodson said. “…Our switches, we weren’t together on switches where we were connected the first half.”

Just before the second half’s midway point, a made 3-pointer from Berry forced Woodson to adjust. He immediately sent Mgbako — Berry’s primary defender — to the bench in favor of Leal. Still, the result didn’t change.

On the next possession, Berry received a pass on the right wing with plenty of time to set his feet. Leal tirelessly attempted to fight through a screen, but it was futile. Berry drained his jumper and all Leal could only stand motionless and confused.

“I feel like the communication was a little bit lost towards the second half,” Mgbako said. “We weren’t getting to our spots. And when they picked up the ball and spread it out, we’re supposed to be with our man. I fell victim to that.”

Malik Reneau returned for the Hoosiers, marking his first action since suffering a knee injury on Jan. 2 against Rutgers. He underwhelmed Wednesday night, shooting 0-for-6 from the field and showing signs of rust in his 11 minutes.

Still, in the final 9:35 of the first half, Northwestern mustered two points. Indiana finished the first 20 minutes on an 18-2 run. With all the momentum needed, the Hoosiers just needed to sustain it. Meanwhile, Chris Collins wasn’t panicked or nervous in the Wildcats’ locker room — he said there was a sense of urgency.

Collins gave his usual halftime talk before allowing the players to convene. This allowed them to self-diagnose and strategize for the second half. During the intermission, a simple message resonated with Collins’ squad.

“This is a season-defining half coming up,” Collins said. “We can choose to have this thing go either way. I knew how they were going to respond.”

For Northwestern, the second-half surge served as another feather in its cap, displaying the team’s resilience. And for Indiana, the final nine minutes were a reminder of what’s holding Woodson’s group back.

Following two blowout losses to Iowa and Illinois — the latter a historically lopsided defeat at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall — the Hoosiers valiantly responded with an overtime win at Ohio State. Wednesday night, with an opportunity to prolong that success and add to their resume, they let it slip through the cracks.

As February approaches, it may seem disconcerting to see a lack of connectedness on defense play out so strongly in an opponent’s favor. Woodson said he “can never get worried,” citing the opportunities on the schedule ahead, but time is undoubtedly ticking.

Concerningly, the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Indiana faces four ranked opponents in its next five matchups and the Hoosiers are left continuously taking one step forward and two steps back.

At its best Wednesday night, Indiana was flying in transition, knocking down shots and stringing together stops. And at its worst, it was confused and disconnected defensively, ultimately allowing an entirely winnable game to crash.

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

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