Indiana has had little trouble with the teams it has been supposed to beat this season. It’s the ranked opponents that have given the Hoosiers some issues. For a chunk of Sunday’s matinee against No. 21 Northwestern, it looked like that trend might continue.
But a dominant second-half spurt reversed IU’s course, propelling the No. 16 Hoosiers to a convincing 72-61 victory at Welsh-Ryan Arena — their first in the building since 2016. Indiana trailed by 13 points midway through the third quarter, but gradually chipped away entering the fourth. Then, in the final frame, an 18-1 run not only helped put IU in front, but carried the Hoosiers to their fourth consecutive win.