Indiana Hoosiers Await Big Ten Tournament Rematch With Purdue

The Hoosiers need a few wins in the Big Ten Tournament to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament, and a rematch with Purdue could be the deciding factor.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Indiana ended the regular season with a disappointing loss to Ohio State, putting their NCAA Tournament hopes in jeopardy. However, the Hoosiers have a chance to boost their resume in the Big Ten Tournament, where they are the No. 10 seed and will face the winner of the first-round matchup between No. 15 Northwestern and No. 18 Penn State. A win there would set up a highly anticipated rematch with No. 7 Purdue, who the Hoosiers defeated earlier in the season. The Hoosiers also have a favorable potential quarterfinal opponent in No. 4 Nebraska, whom they played competitively in the regular season.

Why it matters

Indiana is currently projected to be the first team out of the NCAA Tournament, so they'll likely need at least two wins in the Big Ten Tournament to feel good about their chances on Selection Sunday. A win over Purdue could be enough to earn an NCAA Tournament bid, depending on other bubble results and bid-stealers, so the stakes are high for the third Indiana-Purdue rivalry game of the season.

The details

Indiana awaits the winner of Tuesday's game between No. 15 Northwestern (13-18, 5-15) and No. 18 Penn State (12-19, 3-17). Against either opponent, the Hoosiers would likely be favored by seven-plus points. Indiana previously defeated Penn State 91-78 at Assembly Hall, with Lamar Wilkerson setting a school scoring record with 44 points. The more likely matchup is against Northwestern, who defeated the Hoosiers 72-68 at Assembly Hall earlier this season. With a win, Indiana would advance to face No. 7 Purdue on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. The Hoosiers won the first installment 72-67 at Assembly Hall, but Purdue rolled to a 93-64 victory at Mackey Arena in the second matchup.

  • Indiana ended the regular season with a loss to Ohio State on Saturday, March 8, 2026.
  • The Big Ten Tournament begins on March 10, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago.
  • Indiana's first game in the Big Ten Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. CT.

The players

Lamar Wilkerson

Indiana Hoosiers guard who set a school scoring record with 44 points against Penn State earlier this season.

Reed Bailey

Indiana Hoosiers forward who scored in double figures against Penn State.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

Purdue Boilermakers forward who had a big game with 23 points in the first matchup against Indiana.

Braden Smith

Purdue Boilermakers guard who struggled in the first matchup against Indiana but bounced back in the second game.

Fletcher Loyer

Purdue Boilermakers guard who struggled in the first matchup against Indiana but bounced back in the second game.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

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 case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.