Indiana’s offense went cold at the worst possible time Friday night, as the Hoosiers suffered their first Big Ten loss of the season, falling 85-68 to Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.
A competitive first 30 minutes unraveled in a nightmare finish for Indiana, which managed just one point in the final 6:50 of the game. The Hoosiers’ early success from 3-point range gave way to glaring shooting struggles that derailed any hope of a comeback.
Indiana opened the game hot from deep, hitting five of its first eight attempts from beyond the arc. However, the sharp shooting quickly evaporated. The Hoosiers went 3-for-27 from deep after their strong start, finishing just 8-for-35 (22.9%) for the game.
“We just missed some shots,” head coach Mike Woodson said postgame. “If you make those shots, then it’s probably a different ball game. You can’t go 8-for-35 and have the looks that we had tonight.”
Despite the shooting woes, Indiana remained competitive for much of the game, thanks in large part to guard Myles Rice. Rice provided a dynamic stretch in the second half, scoring 13 straight points for the Hoosiers. His effort helped Indiana stay within striking distance, but the offense hit a wall late.
Nebraska closed the game on a commanding 17-1 run, outscoring Indiana by 16 points over the final 6:27. Indiana’s lone point during that stretch came on a free throw from Malik Reneau, as the team failed to make a single field goal in the final 6:50. Over the last 9:56, the Hoosiers shot just 1-for-17 from the field, with the lone basket coming on a 3-pointer by Luke Goode.
“We took a couple of shots that were out of rhythm,” Rice said. “That’s a recipe for disaster... We just have to be better going down the stretch and continuing to play as a team.”
Indiana attempted 35 3-pointers against Nebraska, the most in any game since Woodson took over as head coach. While many of those looks came off solid pick-and-roll action and unselfish ball movement, the inability to knock them down ultimately proved costly.
“We had good looks, we just didn’t make them,” Woodson said. “You can take 30, 40, 50 threes, but you have to step up and make them when you take them.”
The Hoosiers also struggled to get consistent production from their bench. Indiana’s reserves contributed 16 points but shot just 5-for-26 from the field.
“Our bench has been pretty good for us this year,” Woodson said. “We’re going to need them as we continue this journey.”
Indiana’s offensive struggles were compounded by the early foul trouble of starting forward Mackenzie Mgbako, who picked up two fouls in the opening 32 seconds. He played just 32 seconds in the first half, preventing him from finding any rhythm.
Myles Rice was the bright spot for Indiana, finishing with a team-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting. However, even Rice was limited in the final minutes, taking just two shots during Indiana’s late collapse.
“I just thought the flow of the game was right there for me to attack downhill,” Rice said, “and take advantage of the opportunities that [Nebraska] presented us.”
With two non-conference games remaining before the end of the calendar year, Indiana will aim to regroup. Friday’s loss served as a stark reminder of the importance of consistency, as the Hoosiers showed flashes of promise but couldn’t sustain offensive momentum when it mattered most.
“We had our chances,” Woodson said. “But we just couldn’t make shots.”
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