Indiana dropped to 1-3 in Big Ten play with an 84-83 loss against Northwestern on Sunday at Assembly Hall.
Here are five takeaways from the loss to the Wildcats:
Indiana’s defense continues to crater
Indiana got back to the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 2016 on the strength of its defense.
Through 15 games this season – a more than adequate sample size – it is clear this year’s Hoosiers have regressed defensively. The Hoosiers were flat-footed to start Sunday’s game against Northwestern and the Wildcats took advantage.
Rather than pressuring the ball on the perimeter, Indiana’s guards allowed Northwestern’s guards to initiate the offense seamlessly.