IU basketball remains in NCAA tournament conversation ahead of Purdue rivalry game

Despite an underwhelming 15-11 record, Indiana is still being discussed as a potential 2025 NCAA tournament team by several prominent bracketologists.

The Hoosiers are 6-9 in the Big Ten with five regular-season games remaining. Next, IU will host rival Purdue on Sunday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Boilermakers have lost three straight games but have won their last three games against IU.

After hosting Purdue, the Hoosiers will host Penn State on Wednesday before traveling to play Washington on March 1 and Oregon on March 4. Indiana will conclude the regular season against Ohio State on March 8 at Assembly Hall.

On Friday, ESPN.com bracketologist Joe Lunardi listed the Hoosiers among his “next four out.” Lunardi’s current last four in: Vanderbilt, Arkansas, VCU and Wake Forest. The “first four out,” according to Lunardi: Oklahoma, SMU, Georgia and North Carolina followed by Xavier, IU, Boise State and Pittsburgh as the “next four out.”

Over at CBSSports.com, Jerry Palm lists the Hoosiers as the first team out of the projected field of 68. Palm’s current last four in: Texas, Oklahoma, Xavier and Georgia followed by a “first four out” of IU, Arkansas, North Carolina and Boise State.

“There’s not a large margin for error for Indiana,” Palm said in a video posted on the CBSSports YouTube channel. “They need to be five games above .500 when they go to the conference tournament to really have a realistic shot of making the NCAA tournament. Obviously, beating Purdue would help, but they could beat Purdue and still give that away.”

Indiana, No. 58 in the latest NCAA NET rankings, will try to pick up its fourth Quad 1 win of the season this weekend against the Boilermakers.

Purdue won the first matchup between the two teams 81-76 on Jan. 31 at Mackey Arena. The Hoosiers are 2-8 in their last 10 games with four straight losses at home.

Indiana is 3-11 in Quad 1, 2-0 in Quad 2, 6-0 in Quad 3 and 4-0 in Quad 4. Of IU’s five remaining regular season games, Purdue and Oregon are projected Quad 1 opportunities with Ohio State, Penn State and Washington falling in Quad 2.

The Buckeyes are currently No. 32 in the NET, so that game could shift back to Quad 1. Home games against teams in the top 30 of the NET are considered Quad 1.

The Hoosiers have been competitive in their last three games in Bloomington against elite competition, but they have been unable to make key plays in late-game situations to secure wins.

In its last three home losses, IU fell to Maryland, Michigan and UCLA by a combined eight points.

Category: Bracketology

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