Indiana fans had seen this script before. The Hoosiers, sluggish and erratic, once again found themselves trailing at halftime.
The offense sputtered, open shots clanked off the rim, and Ohio State appeared primed to spoil Senior Day at Assembly Hall. But then, in a way that has become a hallmark of this team over the past few weeks, the Hoosiers found a way to win.
It was anything but pretty, but Indiana’s 66-60 victory over Ohio State on Saturday was a testament to grit. As ugly as it was, it may have just punched Indiana’s ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
Indiana didn’t win with offense. The Hoosiers shot just 35.2% from the field and a paltry 25% (5-of-20) from beyond the arc. Yet, despite their struggles, they clamped down defensively and held Ohio State to just 60 points—one of the Buckeyes’ lowest-scoring outputs of the season.
“Something that I tried to emphasize to the team early in the season when we were going through our scoring ruts was it doesn’t matter how much we score, how well we shoot,” senior forward Luke Goode said. “We should still be able to win games when it’s ugly.”
Ugly was an understatement. The first half saw Indiana shoot a woeful 30% from the field and an abysmal 11.1% (1-of-9) from 3-point range.
The Hoosiers managed just 25 points in the opening 20 minutes, trailing Ohio State 29-25 at the break. It marked the eighth straight home game in which Indiana trailed at halftime.
But in the second half, something shifted. The Hoosiers improved to 41.7% shooting, while Ohio State regressed to 32.1%.
Indiana also won the rebounding battle 40-31, securing 14 offensive boards and converting them into 18 second-chance points. That hustle proved to be the difference.
“I mean, if you lose, you want to lose with your seniors on the floor,” head coach Mike Woodson said. “Our defense really got stiff. We made play after play and made some good offensive plays—enough to give us the cushion to win the game.”
Winning ugly may not be glamorous, but it’s often necessary in March. It’s also a sign of just how close this Indiana team is heading into postseason play.
“For us to be in a must-win game for our postseason hopes, Senior Night at home, too, and to come out and play the defense we did,” Goode said. “It’s a testament to how much we’ve grown as a team together.”
With the Big Ten Tournament looming, Indiana now turns its attention to Oregon, the No. 8 seed, in a second-round matchup Thursday.
The Hoosiers’ résumé suggests they’ve done enough to make the NCAA Tournament, even if they don’t make a deep Big Ten run. Whether they end up as one of the last four byes or playing in Dayton in the First Four, they’ve likely punched their ticket.
Saturday wasn’t Indiana’s best night—not by a long shot. But the Hoosiers are learning to survive when they don’t have their A-game.
And in March, survival is all that matters.
“We’ve always known we have what it takes in the locker room,” Goode said. “We all have a common goal now. I think everybody is all bought into what we want to do, and you know, we’re reaping the benefits now.”
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