3 Instant Takeaways from Indiana Basketball's 74-61 Loss vs Northwestern

CHICAGO — With an emphatic swing of his left arm, Darian DeVries' momentum took him onto the United Center floor, where he clapped his hands in support of the energy and brand his Indiana basketball team brought to the floor.

The Hoosiers led Northwestern, 21-13, and were in the midst of creating separation at the midway point of the first half. After Lamar Wilkerson's heat check 3-pointer didn't fall, Jasai Miles grabbed the offensive rebound and drew a foul. Indiana soon took its biggest lead of the game at 9 points after Miles made a free throw.

Indiana held complete control. But Northwestern surged back, and even when the Hoosiers were seemingly in control, the Wildcats never went away. They hung around — and ultimately, they buried Indiana.

The Hoosiers (18-14, 9-12 Big Ten) fell apart in the second half in a do-or-die game, falling 74-61 to Northwestern (15-18, 6-15 Big Ten) in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday night at the United Center in Chicago.

Here are three takeaways from Indiana's defeat, one that may very well end its season.

Indiana has no answer for Northwestern's offense

The Hoosiers came out of the gates hot offensively, but the Wildcats ultimately sustained their efforts far longer. Northwestern star Nick Martinelli, who notched 28 points in a win over Indiana on Feb. 24, proved unrelenting. So, too, did freshman guard Jake West.

Martinelli poured in 28 points, while West added 18 points. The Wildcats made timely shots and were efficient from the field — they connected on 48.1% of their attempts and were 6-for-14 shooting from 3-point range while averaging 1.213 points per possession.

Indiana's offense had a dismal start to the second half, as the Hoosiers mustered only 12 points in the first 13 minutes. The Hoosiers went 5-for-20 shooting in the second half, including 1 of 7 from 3-point range.

Wilkerson scored a team-high 17 points. He was joined in double figures by sixth-year senior guard Tayton Conerway, who tallied 14 points. Indiana finished just 6 of 17 from 3-point range.

Indiana's NCAA Tournament Bubble Appears to have Popped

Indiana entered Wednesday as perhaps the best embodiment of a team on the tournament bubble. The Hoosiers were largely projected as either the last team in the field or one of the first teams outside, and they needed a win over Northwestern to, if nothing else, avoid a Quad 2 loss and add another victory to the column.

But the Wildcats, who delivered a devastating punch to the Hoosiers' tournament aspirations in the first meeting, ultimately put the nail in Indiana's coffin.

Indiana has only three Quadrant 1 wins and a resume at large that doesn't warrant a spot in the field. The Hoosiers, who narrowly missed the tournament last year, appear on the verge of Deja vu.

Perhaps most disappointing Wednesday, Indiana didn't play with the energy or urgency of a team with its back against the wall. The Hoosiers had significantly less juice, both on the floor and bench, than the Wildcats.

If it's offseason time, Indiana has a big one ahead

Perhaps a March Madness miracle strikes and the Hoosiers live to play another game. But no matter, Indiana first-year coach Darian DeVries deserves patience.

The Hoosiers lost six of their final seven games, collapsing after a promising stretch in the middle of Big Ten play during which they won five of six games. The roster DeVries assembled proved flawed.

But that's part of the reason he deserves patience. He started behind the curve with roster and staff construction, and Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson acknowledged Monday on the Inside Indiana Basketball radio show he's impressed DeVries pieced together a roster to get through the season in respectable fashion.

Now, DeVries and his staff — which includes executive director of basketball Ryan Carr — have more time to build, scout, recruit and plan. Year 1 was designed to lay a foundation, and while that foundation likely won't include an NCAA Tournament berth, the Hoosiers have a direction for where they need to go moving forward.