3 Instant Takeaways from Indiana Basketball's 78-77 Win Over Wisconsin

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — While Indiana basketball coach Darian DeVries clapped his hands, the rest of the bench behind him walked toward midcourt to greet the five Hoosiers who'd just secured the game's biggest defensive stop.

DeVries, meanwhile, walked away. He took his spot in the middle of where the team's huddle ensued and readied himself for the biggest speech he'd give all day.

Indiana, which didn't trail for the first 38 minutes but suddenly found itself in a 4-point hole with one minute remaining, rallied to force overtime. The Hoosiers trailed, 77-74, with just over 30 seconds remaining.

Then, sixth-year senior guard Lamar Wilkerson made a layup and a pair of free throws to push the Hoosiers in front, and Wisconsin senior guard Braeden Carrington's half-court heave clanked off the top of the backboard, sealing a dramatic, chaotic Indiana victory.

Indiana (16–8, 7-6 Big Ten) earned a hard-fought 78-77 win over Wisconsin (16–7, 8–4 Big Ten) on Saturday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

Here are three takeaways from Indiana’s win over Wisconsin.

Late-game woes appear again. So do late-game heroics.

Indiana has struggled mightily putting teams away in late-game situations. The Hoosiers led by 16 points in the second half before losing to Nebraska on Jan. 10, they saw a double-figure lead dwindle to one possession late in regulation against Purdue on Jan. 27 and they blew a 10-point lead to UCLA inside the final two minutes of regulation before winning in overtime.

The Hoosiers again found themselves in position to put away their opponent in a stress-free, anxiety-less game. Instead, they followed the same trajectory as games prior.

Indiana led by 13 points with 13 minutes remaining and by 7 points with five-and-a-half minutes remaining after senior forward Sam Alexis scored his ninth consecutive point. Then, the Hoosiers didn't make another shot. They scored only 2 points over the next four minutes and trailed 72-68 with 57 seconds remaining.

Wilkerson hit four foul shots to tie the game, and John Blackwell's jump shot didn't fall in the final seconds of regulation.

Overtime followed a similar trajectory. Indiana trailed 77-74 before Wilkerson scored the final 4 points to seal the victory.

Indiana is struggling to finish games, but like UCLA and Purdue, it found a way to win Saturday afternoon.

Indiana gets balanced scoring effort

Lamar Wilkerson, who scored 33 of Indiana's 75 points in an 81-75 loss to USC on Tuesday, quickly rediscovered his touch. Wilkerson notched the Hoosiers' first 5 points, and he had 9 of the team's 18 points midway through the first half.

But Saturday wasn't merely another game where Wilkerson cemented himself as an All-Big Ten player. He finished with 25 points, but he had plenty of help, too, as three other Hoosier starters scored in double figures.

Tucker DeVries, who struggled through the first half of the Big Ten season, enjoyed a return to form, notching 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting, including 3 of 7 from beyond the arc.

Senior forward Sam Alexis delivered his best performance this season, tallying 19 points on 9-for-10 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds and blocking five shots. He made several big shots inside the final 10 minutes.

Senior guard Conor Enright added 11 points, six assists and no turnovers.

Indiana shot 47.6% from the field but went only 5 for 22 from 3-point range. The Hoosiers were balanced from a scoring perspective, and they proved Saturday they can win in the paint, too, with 44 points inside

Indiana nabs much-needed bounce-back

Before the Hoosiers' 6-point loss to USC — one they pinned, in part, on fatigue and tired legs after nearly a week out west — they won three straight games, their longest winning streak in Big Ten play under coach Darian DeVries.

Indiana's winning streak followed a four-game skid in which three of its four defeats were by 14-plus points. The Hoosiers needed to prove their loss to USC was merely a bump in the road, not a return to earth.

Saturday's win accomplished the feat.

The Hoosiers have won four of their past five games and continue to prove they've leveled beyond their mid-January blues.