Indiana coach Mike Woodson has rarely witnessed a defensive collapse like the one his team experienced in their 79-70 loss to Northwestern on Wednesday. The Hoosiers allowed nine 3-pointers in the second half, a breakdown that cost them a game they could have won.
Now, Indiana faces a critical matchup on Sunday as they return home to Bloomington, where they’ll take on a Maryland team fresh off a dominant road win. In that game, Maryland triumphed 91-70 over No. 17 Illinois, earning its first road victory of the season. Julian Reese had a career-high 27 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Terps to a 62-34 advantage in the paint. Freshman Derik Queen also stepped up, scoring 25 points, silencing doubts about his recent struggles.
Indiana (14-6, 5-4 Big Ten) gave up 54 points in the second half at Northwestern, a result that left Woodson puzzled. “We played beautifully in the first half,” Woodson said. “But our defensive communication disappeared after halftime, and they made us pay for it.”
The Hoosiers will look to tighten up defensively, particularly against Maryland’s inside game, as they aim to bounce back and avoid another tough loss. Indiana leads the all-time series 14-9 and won both meetings last season.
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