CHICAGO — The Indiana Hoosiers looked like they’d turned things around down the stretch of the season wining four straight coming into the Big Ten Tournament. There was, all of a sudden, talk about them actually having a chance to get into the NCAA Tournament if they could do something on the west side of Chicago this week. Ohio State was nursing a three game skid coming into their match up with the Hoosiers so it was plausible for them to make some noise.
Well playas…they didn’t!! The Hoosiers (17-15) wet the same mattress they always wet this time of year losing 79-75 to the Buckeyes (19-13) in round two of Thursday’s action. They should have played on Wednesday and just gotten it over with early.
Over the past few weeks Indiana’s offense had become the fourth most efficient in the country. Then they were forced to play a game that actually means something and they folded like a cheap tent. They turned the rock over 10 times in the first half giving up 15 points off of those turnovers to go down 35-28 at the break. Fifteen points off of turnovers in the first half? C’mon bruh!!
Where was Romeo Langford again when you needed him? Ole boy finished with 9 points after going 1-6 to start the game. Stop telling me about Romeo Langford. In big games he disappears. The Hoosiers were led by Devonte Green with 26 points off of the bench followed by Juwan Morgan’s 12 points.
The Buckeyes put up 10 straight points to go up 20 points on the Hoosiers with just over seven minutes to play. It looked as though Indiana would just roll over and die but they actually showed a little fight. They answered with a 13-0 run to cut it to 7 off of a De’Ron Davis layup with 4:20 left to play.
They scrapped down the stretch to keep it within reach but Ohio State had enough in the tank to keep them at bay. Now Archie Miller and Co. will have time to figure this thing out and get ready for next year. There would have to be 10 teams come up missing before the Hoosiers could make the NCAA Tournament. Boyz are talking about going home and waiting to see if they make the tournament. Man Please!! I wouldn’t invite the Hoosiers to the Delaney Projects Outdoor Tournament of Bootleggers let alone the NCAA Tournament. Stop me when I start lyin’!