Encouraging Pairings Set For Hoosiers in Big Ten Tournament

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana's regular season ended with a thud on Saturday, but now it's on to the postseason, and the Hoosiers get an early start on it.

By dropping to the No. 11 seed in the Big Ten tournament after Saturday's 60-56 loss to Wisconsin, the Hoosiers need to play in the anonymous Wednesday night games now, getting a pairing with No. 14-seed Nebraska in the second game, which should start around 8:30 p.m. ET at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. No. 12 Minnesota and No. 13 Northwestern play the opener at 6 p.m. ET.

The Hoosiers beat Nebraska twice this season, winning 96-90 in overtime in Bloomington in December and winning on the road 82-74 in January. Nebraska finished the season with 16 straight Big Ten losses, having only beaten Purdue and Iowa at home all year. That Jan. 7 win against the Hawkeyes was their last one, more than two months ago.

If the Hoosiers advance, No. 6 seed Penn State awaits, and that's good news for Indiana. The two teams have split this season, but the Nittany Lions, who were 20-5 and ranked No. 9 in the country just three weeks ago, have hit the skids. They are just 1-5 in their last six games and are really doubting themselves right now. If Indiana was picking a team to play in that second round, Penn State would be it.

Indiana's win over Penn State on Feb. 23 was one of those five, but the most shocking was a loss at Northwestern to end the season on Saturday. Penn State was a 7-point favorite in Evanston but got blown out 80-68. They're definitely in a funk right now.

Indiana's history in the Big Ten tournament isn't very good, and it has run from beginning to end. They are just 12-22 overall through the years, and their .352 winning percentage is only better than Northwestern (.290) and Maryland (.286). So, yes, that's 12th best.

Not only have the Hoosiers never won the tournament, but they've also only had one chance at grabbing the trophy, losing the 2001 championship game to Iowa in Mike Davis' first year as head coach.

No Indiana coach has had success in the tournament, and only Davis has a winning record in the event. Here are their records:

Archie Miller (2018-19) — Record: 0-2
Tom Crean (2009-17) — Record: 4-9
Dan Dakich (2008) — Record: 0-1
Kelvin Sampson (2007) — Record: 0-1
Mike Davis (2001-06) — Record: 7-6
Bob Knight (1998-2000) — Record 1-3

Last year's dagger, of course, was losing to Ohio State in the 8/9 game where it was blatantly obvious to everyone that the winner would get an NCAA tournament bid. The Buckeyes won, and went to the NCAAs with an 8-12 conference record. Indiana went to the NIT. Miller lost his first game too, getting upset by No. 14-seed Rutgers in the second round.

Tom Crean was just 4-9 in the tournament. He lost his first three during the rebuild, and was just 1-4 until the 2013 season, where they entered as the No. 1 seed but lost to Wisconsin in the semifinals. His 2016 team that was also a No. 1 seed lost its first tournament game in the quarters to No. 8 Michigan. That loss was sort of the beginning of the end.

The great Dan Dakich was 0-1, losing as a No. 3 seed to No. 6 Minnesota in his one year as the interim coach after Kelvin Sampson was fired. Sampson lost a year earlier as a No. 3 seed, too.

Davis had Indiana's best run in 2001, reaching that one title game. Indiana beat Purdue in the quarters and then upset No. 1 seed Illinois in the semifinals. They lost a great final, falling 63-61 to the Hawkeyes. He's the only IU coach with a winning record in the event.

Knight hated the entire idea of the Big Ten tournament, and it showed. The Hoosiers were just 1-3 in his three years.

Michigan State and Tom Izzo have dominated the event. They've won it six times, including a year ago.

Here's the week's schedule:

Wednesday's games (All times Eastern)

No. 12 Minnesota (14-16) vs. No. 13 Northwestern (8-22), 6 p.m.
No. 11 Indiana (19-12) vs. No. 14 Nebraska (7-24), 8:30 p.m. (approx.)

Thursday's games

No. 8 Rutgers (20-11) vs. No. 9 Michigan (19-12), Noon
No. 5 Iowa (20-11) vs. Minnesota-Northwestern winner, 2:30 p.m. (approx.)
No. 7 Ohio State (21-10) vs. No. 10 Purdue (16-15), 6:30 p.m.
No. 6 Penn State (21-10) vs. Indiana-Nebraska winner 9 p.m. (approx.)

Friday's games

No. 1 Wisconsin (21-10) vs. Rutgers-Michigan winner. Noon
No. 4 Illinois (21-10) vs. Iowa/Minnesota-Northwestern winner, 2:30 p.m.
No. 2 Michigan State (22-9) vs. Purdue-Ohio winner, 6:30 p.m.
No. 3 Maryland (24-7) vs. Penn State/Indiana-Nebraska winner, 9 p.m. (approx.)

Saturday's games

Semifinal, 1 p.m.
Semifinal, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday's games

Championship game, 3:30 p.m.

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