Indiana Looks to Bounce Back Against Northwestern

Hoosiers aim to rebound from recent losses as they host Wildcats in crucial Big Ten matchup

Feb. 24, 2026 at 5:10am

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The Indiana Hoosiers are looking to get back on track as they host the Northwestern Wildcats in a crucial Big Ten matchup. After suffering lopsided road losses to ranked opponents Illinois and Purdue, the Hoosiers are determined to learn from those defeats and focus on their final four regular-season games, which forward Tucker DeVries described as "massive for us trying to make that NCAA Tournament." The Wildcats, led by the Big Ten's leading scorer Nick Martinelli, are also fighting to stay out of the conference basement, having recently snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Maryland.

Why it matters

This game is crucial for both teams as they jockey for position in the Big Ten standings and aim to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Indiana is one of nine schools in the conference with double-digit league losses, so a strong finish to the regular season is vital. Meanwhile, Northwestern is looking to build on its recent win over Maryland and prove it can compete with any team in the conference.

The details

Indiana will be led by its top scorer, Lamar Wilkerson, who has scored at least 20 points in six straight games. The Hoosiers will also look to Tayton Conerway, Reed Bailey, and Tucker DeVries to contribute offensively. For Northwestern, senior Nick Martinelli is the Big Ten's leading scorer at 22.3 points per game, and the team found a spark off the bench in its last game from Jordan Clayton, who scored a career-best 20 points.

  • Indiana is set to host Northwestern on Tuesday night in Bloomington.
  • The Wildcats defeated visiting Maryland 78-74 on Wednesday to end a five-game losing streak.

The players

Tucker DeVries

An Indiana forward who described the Hoosiers' last four regular-season games as "massive for us trying to make that NCAA Tournament."

Lamar Wilkerson

Indiana's top scorer, who has scored at least 20 points in six straight games.

Nick Martinelli

The senior forward for Northwestern and the Big Ten's leading scorer at 22.3 points per game.

Jordan Clayton

A Northwestern reserve who scored a career-best 20 points in the team's recent win over Maryland.

Darian DeVries

The head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers.

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What they’re saying

“We're playing for a lot right now, and I think it's important that there's not much that we can do right now about the previous game, but we can learn from it and move on to the next one and use this to get ready for these next four games.”

— Tucker DeVries, Indiana forward (Field Level Media)

“We've shown that we can compete with any team in this conference. We just haven't been able to close games out.”

— Nick Martinelli, Northwestern senior (Field Level Media)

“It's good to see your hard work pay off.”

— Jordan Clayton, Northwestern reserve (Field Level Media)

“We gotta go beat Northwestern. And that's a Northwestern team that's put up a good fight every single night.”

— Darian DeVries, Indiana head coach (Field Level Media)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game is a crucial test for both Indiana and Northwestern as they look to improve their standing in the Big Ten and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers will need to learn from their recent losses and focus on finishing the regular season strong, while the Wildcats will aim to prove they can compete with any team in the conference by closing out games.