Men’s Basketball

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Nothing is coming easy for Northwestern as it attempts to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats (20-9, 9-7 Big Ten) were cruising, up 5 with 38 seconds remaining, when Indiana (16-13, 6-10) guard James Blackmon nailed a 3 to bring the Hoosiers back within one score. And after a missed floater by junior guard Bryant McIntosh, Blackmon found big man Thomas Bryant for a three-point play with just two seconds left on the clock that ultimately sunk NU in a 63-62 defeat.

It looked like NU might run away with the game at one point in the first half, when a wide open dunk for sophomore forward Vic Law put the Cats up 26-14 and drew a smattering of boos from the home crowd. But the Hoosiers responded and dominated the rest of the period, closing on a 22-0 run that was capped by a three-quarter-court buzzer-beater from guard Devonte Green.

That make brought Assembly Hall to its feet and gave the hosts a 10-point lead going into the break, but NU reversed the momentum with solid play at both ends in the second half. The Cats charged back and retook the lead with 13:45 remaining, riding strong play from McIntosh, who scored 17 of his 22 points in the second.

The Hoosiers never disappeared, though, ultimately coming back to retake the lead in devastating fashion. A McIntosh heave as time expired missed off the rim, leaving NU with a bitter defeat that could be especially hurtful on Selection Sunday.

Takeaways

1. The Wildcats’ tournament hopes take a major blow

Saturday’s loss is instantly NU’s worst of the season resume-wise, as Indiana sat outside the RPI top-100 entering the contest. With tough games at home against Michigan and Purdue remaining on the schedule, the Cats could conceivably carry a four-game losing streak to end the regular season, not a good look for a squad aiming for an at-large tournament bid. Suddenly, a season that was supposed to end in triumph for NU could instead end in heartbreak.

2. Scottie Lindsey is finding a groove

The junior guard officially returned to the lineup last Saturday, but after two ineffective games following a four-game absence with illness, Lindsey looked like himself again for the first time against the Hoosiers. He got out in transition, hit a few jumpers and played solid defense on the other end to make a positive overall impact. NU needs Lindsey if it’s going to rediscover its winning ways, and Lindsey looks to be finding his footing for the first time since missing time.

3. Northwestern showed a lot in the comeback effort

After Green’s improbable buzzer-beater put the finishing touches on Indiana’s massive close to the first half, the Cats could have easily folded, but didn’t. Instead, NU kept its head down, cutting into the lead and ultimately reclaiming it on the back of stifling defense and crisp offensive play. It will take plenty of mental strength to overcome Saturday’s heartbreak, but the Cats showed a dose of it in their second-half effort.

Stats
– Dererk Pardon: 12 points, 10 rebounds
– Indiana’s bench outscored NU’s second unit 21-7
– NU: 6 assists

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @maxschuman28