Indiana basketball loses fourth straight despite duo's scoring bursts vs Michigan State
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball lost a must-win matinee Sunday, 77-64, at home against No. 13 Michigan State.
Here's what I liked and disliked, and what the Hoosiers' loss means.
What I liked in IU basketball's loss vs Michigan State
- Lamar Wilkerson's return. The shooting slump that started Tuesday continued into the weekend, Wilkerson's streak of missed field goals eventually reaching 16 across the two games. But when he broke it, he did so emphatically, finishing 11 of 21 from the field after missing on his first four from the floor. His 29 points paced the Hoosiers, and alongside a robust effort from Tucker DeVries (20 points, 6 of 16), Wilkerson helped ensure Michigan State wasn't really allowed to run away with the game, when in moments it appeared the Spartans might.
- Scrappiness. On an afternoon when so much else failed to go according to plan, Indiana (17-12, 8-10 Big Ten) at least delivered the effort and intensity necessary. More than once, Hoosiers chased loose balls into the stands, and once the Michigan State (24-5, 14-4) bench. Loose and jump balls found IU jerseys on the floor in search of possession again and again. There was plenty Indiana failed to do with Sunday's missed opportunity, but it was not for lack of heart.
What I disliked in IU basketball's loss vs MSU
- A rough defensive start. Indiana started softly at the defensive end, and Michigan State happily feasted on the opportunity. The Spartans punished IU with two-big lineups and made 7 of 13 from behind the 3-point line in the opening 20 minutes, eventually averaging 1.5 unadjusted points per possession. They led for all but 12 seconds of the opening frame and deserved to. Indiana gave itself a steep hill to climb from the jump.
- Foul trouble. Especially inside. By the end of the first half, both Sam Alexis and Reed Bailey carried three fouls. Indiana's plan for Michigan State's bigger lineups had collapsed in on itself. Navigating the second 20 minutes was already an almighty task.
- Beaten behind the arc. No one has questioned Indiana's volume from distance this season. And in the aggregate, the Hoosiers have been better than the average behind the 3-point line. But when it's counted down the stretch, the part of this offense that was meant to be a great equalizer hasn't been. Indiana finished 10 of 35, or just 28.6%. All while Michigan State shot 12 of 24. This team was built to win behind the arc. When it's mattered most, this team has lost there instead.
- Wasting the crowd. Indiana fans turned in perhaps the best atmosphere of the season, and begged all afternoon with their behavior for a reason to really turn Assembly Hall into a bear pit. The Hoosiers could not oblige, failing to sequence stops and scores effectively enough to ever bring the game truly into the balance. Michigan State led for all but 12 seconds Sunday. Assembly Hall, so anxious to play its part, never got the chance.
What Indiana basketball's loss vs Michigan State means
The road to the NCAA tournament now appears devilishly steep, both because IU is running out of opportunities to add to its resume and because it feels like the Hoosiers are trending firmly in the wrong direction.
Most damning? The extent to which that shouldn't have been a surprise. This is now the 13th season in 17 the Hoosiers will not finish with a winning record in conference play. The path into a third NCAA tournament in the last decade looks increasingly rocky.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Michigan State vs Indiana basketball score today, Lamar Wilkerson game stats
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