In a rivalry game, in front of a packed Mackey Arena, and as double-digit underdogs, Indiana fought.
While most of the discourse about this team has been centered around possible lack of effort, fight or resilience, the Hoosiers proved against Purdue that they can play with effort, play with fight and play with resilience. This wasn't enough though, as IU fell to the Boilermakers 81-76.
Sometimes you play well enough and fight hard enough to win, but the cards just don't fall in your favor, and that's exactly what happened with Indiana at Purdue. The Hoosiers played one of, if not the best game they've played all season, but came up short.
Indiana was impressive against Purdue and, while it couldn't get the victory, it raises the question: where was this Indiana team in games like Nebraska, Iowa or Illinois?
If the Hoosiers showed the same type of fight it did against Purdue, or against Ohio State, their 5-6 Big Ten record would be much improved, but inconsistency has plagued IU all season long.
"It's very frustrating, because we're right there. And we got to keep fighting" Trey Galloway said postgame, outlining that Indiana is close, but it hasn't been able to put together a complete performances like this with frequency all season, making losing a game where the played well even more tough.
While both this game and the season as a whole have led to frustration by both fans and members of the team, this was a performance that Indiana had been waiting for and, while it didn't result in a win, there's a lot to takeaway from it.
Mackenzie Mgbako was one of the x-factors for Indiana all night, as he gave the Hoosiers 25 points, the most he's had since the opener against SIU Edwardsville where he scored his career high of 31.
"Mackenzie stepped up," Mike Woodson said, explaining that he felt Mgbako's experience last season played a role in how he played this time around against Purdue.
Another bright spot was Trey Galloway who scored 15 and made 7-of-10 shots, tying his high for the season in points while his 70% from the floor was the best mark he's had this year.
"The key guys, the veteran guys that’ve been around me, they know what it’s like to play in this building and it’s not easy," Woodson said, explaining further that experience played a role in Mgbako's and Galloway's showings.
If wasn't just offensive performances that went the Hoosiers' way against Purdue, as IU's defense played extremely well in stretches. The Boilers shot just just 15% from three for their lowest mark of the entire season.
On top of all this, Indiana played with poise throughout the game. When Purdue had a 11-6 lead out of the gate, IU responded. When the Boilers went on an 11-1 run to start the second half, IU responded, and when Indiana faced a 3-point deficit with a minute and a half remaining, IU responded and took the lead with 30 seconds left.
"I thought the effort was there. We fought through a bunch of runs" Galloway said, adding "I think just continuing to just keep competing was the main thing."
While the Hoosiers showed resilience throughout this rivalry game, they couldn't get it done in what is an incredibly tough environment to win. This win would've ben season-changing but, after the loss, Indiana is back to the drawing board, though this game could give it something to build on.
"The good thing is we have another great opportunity against Wisconsin. So we just got to look forward to that and learn from this" Galloway said.
Indiana currently sits on the outside looking in according to most NCAA Tournament projections, but with games at Wisconsin, vs. Michigan and at Michigan State ahead, there are opportunities to pick up quality wins.
If Indiana plays like it did against Purdue, there's no doubt they could win one, or even multiple games during the tough stretch ahead, but it'll depend on if Indiana can build off this one and not dwell on it.
Mackey Arena is one of the toughest places to play in the country and Indiana played its heart out, something it needs to do in every single game here on out of it wants a chance at the Tournament.
A performance like tonight showed that Indiana is a talented team that is capable of winning intense games like this one, yet it was one possession short against Purdue in another heartbreaking defeat.
This one gives the Hoosiers a ton to think about, but it wont have much time as it faces Wisconsin on Tuesday from the Kohl Center in Madison.
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