Statistics that stand out from IU basketball’s three-game losing streak

Photos from IU basketball’s 72-68 loss to Northwestern at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

IU basketball is winless since beating Oregon 92-74 on February 9 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

While the Hoosiers were expected to lose road games against Illinois and Purdue – both teams are ranked in the top seven nationally in KenPom – Tuesday’s loss against Northwestern put IU’s NCAA tournament hopes in serious jeopardy.

A closer look at the last three games for Indiana reveals several key stats that stand out:

Indiana is getting crushed in second-chance points

Crashing the offensive glass isn’t an emphasis for this Indiana team – nor should it be given the personnel – but the Hoosiers need to hold their own on the defensive glass.

The second-chance points number in the last three games paints an ugly picture: over the last 120 minutes of basketball, Indiana has been outscored 42-6 in second-chance points.

Illinois outscored IU 17-5, Purdue outscored 13-0 and Northwestern outscored 12-1 in second-chance points.

This isn’t the sole reason Indiana is losing games, but it’s a significant factor and one that IU would be well served to shore up with Michigan State coming to town on Sunday.

The Spartans are the nation’s fifth-best offensive rebounding team and rank second in league play in offensive rebounding percentage.

The Hoosiers are getting nothing in transition

Scoring in transition has been a strength at times this season for IU, but it’s been absent from the offensive attack in the last three games.

In total, in its three straight losses, Indiana has scored two fast-break points.

Those two points came against Purdue in a 93-64 blowout loss on February 20 at Mackey Arena.

It’s tough to get into transition and on the break when not getting stops defensively, but getting on the run and striking before the defense gets set should be a strength for this team.

The lack of success in transition has put even more pressure on Indiana to score in the halfcourt. With no consistent offensive options beyond Lamar Wilkerson, nothing is coming easy offensively.

Defensive issues resurface

After surrendering at least 1.22 points per possession in every contest of its four-game losing streak from January 10 through January 20, the Hoosiers steadied the ship defensively over the next six games.

In a 5-1 stretch that included wins against Purdue, UCLA and Wisconsin, no opponent scored more than 1.12 points per possession against IU.

The numbers in the current three-game losing streak are similar to the four-game skid last month.

Each of IU’s last three opponents has scored at least 1.17 points per possession. Illinois put up 1.25 points per possession, Purdue scored 1.46 and Northwestern, which averages just 1.05 points per trip in league play, scored 1.17 per possession against IU.

Indiana’s inconsistent defense has the Hoosiers sitting 14th in the conference in points per possession allowed with three regular-season games to go.

3-point shooting has gone cold

To be at its best offensively, the perimeter shots have to fall. That’s how the roster was constructed and Indiana’s top offensive threats operate primarily from beyond the 3-point line.

The Hoosiers are in the midst of a cold streak from distance, although a 10-for-28 performance on 3s against Northwestern was better than the road losses against Illinois and Purdue.

Over the last three games, Indiana is 23-for-72 on 3-pointers, good for just 31.9 percent.

In its 17 Big Ten games, the discrepancy between IU’s 3-point shooting in wins versus losses is stark. The Hoosiers are 79-for-253 on 3s (31.2 percent) in nine conference losses versus 91-for-235 on 3s (38.7 percent) in eight conference wins.

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