Indiana at Northwestern: Post-game notes, numbers and trends

Is it finally over? It seems Indiana’s double-overtime, three-hour long game at Northwestern would last forever, or at least, a few more overtimes. But IU escaped Evanston with a 79-76 win and handed the ‘Cats their 10th straight loss. With the win, the Hoosiers gain some momentum and move to .500 in the Big Ten. 

Here are some notes, numbers, and trends from the victory:

• Coming into this game, the Hoosiers were 2-9 after wins over ranked teams in the Archie Miller era. Now, IU is 3-9 as they found a way to build off of the Iowa win with the victory in Evanston. 
• IU had another rocky start. At the first media timeout, Indiana was shooting 0-9 and had two turnovers.
• Indiana led for just 2:35 of game time, but pulled it out in the end. 
• The Hoosiers started 0-6 from the free throw line, but finished 27-38, a respectable 71.1 percent mark. The team made 15 of 16 in the two overtime periods. 
• For the second-straight game Indiana trailed by double digits before mounting a comeback. The Hoosiers trailed by 14 points at the 7:41 mark of the first quarter before rallying to win. That is the largest deficit erased this season, besting the 13-point comeback against No. 8 Iowa on Sunday.
• Indiana controlled the glass, outrebounding Northwestern by a tally of 50-38. IU grabbed 15 offensive rebounds in the contest.
• The Hoosiers outscored the Wildcats 27-8 at the free throw line. The game marks the largest point differential of the season at the line, the 13th time this season the Hoosiers have made equal or more free throws than the opponent, and the sixth time this season with at least 20-made free throws.
• Al Durham had a career-high in points, scoring 24. Durham went 3-5 from three, 11-12 from the line, and hit the game-tying shot at the end of the first overtime.
• Durham was exceptional offensively, leading the team with an offensive rating of 107. He also recorded a blistering true shooting percentage of 68. The game marked his ninth double-figure scoring outing of the season and fifth with at least 15 points.
• His backcourt running mate Armaan Franklin was equally fantastic, scoring a career-high tying 23 points with a team-high plus-nine in the plus/minus. Franklin played a team-high 44 minutes. 
• Indiana last saw two players with 20-plus points in the same game on Dec. 19 when Trayce Jackson-Davis and Franklin scored 21 and 20 points, respectively, against Butler.
• Durham and Franklin had combined for just 13 in the previous game vs. Iowa while Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson had combined for 32.  This time the starting frontcourt duo only had 17 while Franklin and Durham had 47.
• One interesting storyline to watch is Trey Galloway, who received just five minutes in the win. Galloway had become a starter before he suffered a sore back in December. 
• Jackson-Davis struggled for most of the game, facing constant pressure and multiple double-teams. But the big man still battled his way to a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. TJD has recorded double-doubles in three-straight games, in eight games this season, and 20 times in his career. The Hoosiers are 16-4 in double-double games from Jackson-Davis.
• While Khristian Lander continues to struggle as a shooter, he also continues to make plays for others. The freshman dished out three assists for the second straight game, including a highlight-reel dime to fellow freshman Jordan Geronimo for a dunk. 
• Rob Phinisee was unable to break through, as he scored just two points on 0-5 shooting from the field. Phinisee did add five assists.  Since scoring 18 points at Iowa on Jan. 21, Phinisee has only scored 12 points total in the four games since.
• Indiana had 13 turnovers in regulation but none in overtime.
• IU has performed reasonably well on the road, now 3-3 in true road games. Those games are never guaranteed, so to go .500 is not bad. 
• The Hoosiers look to make it three in a row for the first time all season at Ohio State on Saturday.

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