My Two Cents: Rare to Get 4-Straight Big Ten Blowouts, So Just Take Minnesota Win

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Indiana was on a heater, with Trayce Jackson-Davis fueling the hearth with insane numbers evening after evening. Previous to Wednesday evening’s sport at Minnesota, the Hoosiers had gained three straight by 13 factors or extra — and seemed nice doing it.

4 straight routs appeared a certainty towards a depleted Minnesota group that had solely seven scholarship gamers out there. The Hoosiers had been 11.5-point favorites at tip-off, and certainly they might get to that fortunate No. 13 and hold my blowout statistic alive.

However, no, in fact, it did not occur.

Indiana gained 61-57, pulling it out within the closing minute. The streak of 13-point wins ended, however that is actually not surprising. That simply would not occur. Huge Ten street video games are so unpredictable, as is enjoying in 95-year-old Williams Area. Heck, I watched a Bob Knight-coached group lose right here by 50!

And also you’re curious, proper? When was the final time Indiana gained 4 straight league video games by 13 factors or extra?

Superb, it’s important to go all the best way again to 1976, the undefeated season some 47 years in the past that’s the best 12 months in Indiana basketball historical past.

Within the closing 4 common season video games, the Hoosiers beat Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Ohio State, successful by 20, 29, 13 and 29. The Hoosiers, 18-0 within the league that season, solely did it as soon as. 

The best domination of the Huge Ten really got here a 12 months earlier, within the 1975 missing-banner season. Here is how good that group was. They gained their first 14 league video games by 13 factors or extra, and 16 of 18 complete when it was all stated and accomplished.

One thing, proper? Good historical past classes are a should. And, wow, that is a fantastic reminder that the 1975 group actually ought to have gone unbeaten too and gained one other banner.

Let’s check out a few of these current enjoyable runs we mentioned. Throughout this present streak, the Hoosiers had gained all three video games by 13 factors or extra earlier than Minnesota. That in itself hadn’t occurred in 10 years, since Indiana’s actually good 2013 group that featured Cody Zeller, Victor Oladipo and others.

From Feb. 10 to Feb. 16 in 2013, Indiana gained video games towards Ohio State (81-68), Nebraska (76-47) and Purdue (83-55). Listed here are some enjoyable nuggets from that streak:

• Feb. 10, 2013 — No. 1 Indiana 81, No. 10 Ohio State 68: Victor Oladipo had 26 factors, Cody Zeller had 24 and Christian Watford had 20 within the Hoosiers’ massive win in Columbus.
• Feb. 13, 2013 — No. 1 Indiana 76, Nebraska 47: Zeller scored 16 factors in 18 minutes and Watford and Oladipo had 13 every within the straightforward win. The Hoosiers held Nebraska to simply 18 first-half factors.
• Feb. 16, 2013 — No. 1 Indiana 83, Purdue 55: Will Sheehey had 22 factors on 9-of-9 capturing within the Hoosiers’ blowout win in Bloomington. Zeller and the Hoosiers held Purdue heart A.J. Hammons to simply six factors.

It has been virtually 4 years for the reason that Hoosiers had gained 4 straight Huge Ten video games interval, which borders on wonderful. That occurred late within the 2018-19 season, in Archie Miller’s second 12 months, and on the time, doing so shocked everybody as a result of that Hoosiers’ group wasn’t beating anyone.

Throughout that season, the Hoosiers gained their first three Huge Ten video games however then proceeded to lose 12 of their subsequent 13. On Feb. 22,  they had been 4-13 within the Huge Ten and 13-14 general. Enjoying in any sort of postseason appeared unlikely. They lastly bought again on observe with an double-overtime 75-73 win over Wisconsin at Meeting Corridor

Then the Hoosiers bought loopy sizzling, beating No. 6 Michigan State, Illinois and Rutgers. They misplaced the ultimate common season sport to Ohio State — one thing of an NCAA Event play-in sport for 2 groups with comparable resumes — however had accomplished sufficient to no less than earn an NIT bid. They beat St. Francis (Pa.) and Arkansas earlier than dropping to Wichita State within the NIT quarterfinals. 

Let’s stroll once more. Here is that four-game successful streak:

• Feb. 22, 2019 — Indiana 75, No. 19 Wisconsin 73 in 2-OT: Freshman Romeo Langford led the Hoosiers with 22 factors and gained the sport with a layup within the closing second of double time beyond regulation. Justin Smith had 12 factors, and guards Al Durham and Rob Phinisee had 11.
• March 2, 2019 — Indiana 63, No. 6 Michigan State 62: Amazingly, when Indiana misplaced 12 of 13 Huge Ten video games, the one win was at No. 6 Michigan State. After which, in March, they beat them once more. Michigan State completed 16-4 that 12 months, tying Purdue for the league title. Indiana price them the outright crown. Justin Smith led the best way with 24 factors.
• March 7, 2019 — Indiana 92, Illinois 74: Juwan Morgan had 20 factors and 9 rebounds within the Hoosiers’ 18-point blowout win in Champaign. It will take them 4 years to win in Champaign once more, which they did final Thursday behind Trayce Jackson-Davis’ 35 factors.
• March 10, 2019 — Indiana 89, Rutgers 73: Morgan had an enormous 26-point sport because the Hoosiers rolled to a 16-point win. Langford added 20 factors and Devonte Inexperienced added 16 off the bench. 

Subsequent up for Indiana is Ohio State on Saturday evening in Simon Skjodt, the place they will be trying to win their fifth straight Huge Ten sport. When was the final time that even occurred? That is straightforward. The 2016 group that gained the Huge Ten beneath Tom Crean really did it TWICE. They gained 5 in a row on the finish of the season to clinch the league title, and the streak ended with a regular-season finale loss to Michigan.

However earlier in that very same season, Indiana gained seven straight Huge Ten video games to open league play. That streaked ended with an time beyond regulation loss at Wisconsin  — the Hoosiers by no means win there — and I do not forget that being a terrific sport. Yogi Ferrell had 30 that evening for Indiana.

It may be fascinating to see how lengthy the Hoosiers can hold this streak alive. They’re going to be favored over Ohio State (11-9, 3-6 within the Huge Ten) on Saturday evening, after which they’ve their sport of the month on Tuesday evening at Maryland. The Terrapins have been largely good at house, however that’s clearly a winnable sport for the Hoosiers, who gained there a 12 months in the past as effectively.

That may be six straight heading into the primary of two wars with No. 1-ranked Purdue on Saturday, Feb. 4 in Bloomington. Purdue is 20-1 proper now, the very best begin at school historical past, and 9-1 within the Huge Ten after successful at Michigan on Thursday evening.

Simply carry on successful. I by no means thoughts the history-books analysis time.

• GAME STORY: Trayce Jackson-Davis led Indiana with 25 factors and 21 rebounds, and bought an enormous offensive rebound and basket within the closing minute to offer the Hoosiers a 61-57 win at Minnesota on Wednesday. It was the primary 20/20 sport for an Indiana participant since D.J. White in 2008. CLICK HERE
• WOODSON OUT WITH COVID: Indiana basketball shall be with out head coach Mike Woodson on Wednesday evening at Minnesota as he recovers from COVID. CLICK HERE
• WHAT YASIR ROSEMOND SAID: For the primary time in his faculty teaching profession, Indiana assistant Yasir Rosemond needed to name all of the pictures on Wednesday evening at Minnesota after head coach Mike Woodson could not go due to COVID. He helped information the Hoosiers to a 61-57 victory. Right here is the transcript and video from his postgame press convention. CLICK HERE
• WHAT JACKSON-DAVIS SAID: It was one other epic evening for Indiana senior Trayce Jackson-Davis, who had 25 factors, 21 rebounds and 6 blocked pictures within the Hoosiers’ 61-57 victory over Minnesota. Right here is the video and transcript of his postgame press convention. CLICK HERE
• LIVE BLOG: Relive all of the motion in actual time in Tom Brew’s stay weblog straight from press row at Williams Area. It was a nail-biter, for certain, however ultimately the Hoosiers bought their fourth-straight win. CLICK HERE
• WATCH JACKSON-DAVIS ALLEY-OOP: Trayce Jackson-Davis confirmed spectacular athleticism to catch Jalen Hood-Schifino’s alley-oop and slam it house within the second half towards Minnesota. Watch the video spotlight right here. CLICK HERE
• WATCH HOOD-SCHIFINO’S REVERSE LAYUP: Indiana freshman level guard Jalen Hood-Schifino beat the Minnesota protection with a formidable up-and-under layup within the first half. Watch the video spotlight right here. CLICK HERE
• WATCH KOPP’S THREE-POINTER: Miller Kopp knocked down a pair of three-pointers to offer Indiana an early lead over Minnesota on Wednesday. Watch the video spotlight right here. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA SCHEDULE: Right here is the complete Indiana males’s basketball schedule for the 2022-23 season, with dates, gametimes, TV info and extra, plus hyperlinks to all of the tales for video games performed to this point. CLICK HERE
• JACKSON-DAVIS SCORING LIST: Indiana senior Trayce Jackson-Davis continues to maneuver up the Hoosiers’ all-time scoring record. Here is the most recent on the place he’s now, and who he is about to cross. We have all 54 guys who’ve scored 1,000 factors for extra of their IU careers. CLICK HERE