Written by: TJ Inman
Around the country, results of other games involving bubble teams broke Indiana’s way and the table was set for Darian DeVries’ squad to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The problem? IU had to earn it on the floor against the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus and has been the case for most of the season, they were not up to the challenge against a competent opponent.
IU jumped out to a 5-0 lead but the Buckeyes responded quickly and raced out to a 16-8 advantage and then getting hot from the perimeter to bury Indiana 50-33 at halftime. Ohio State shot a red-hot 67.9% from the field and were 8-13 from three in the first 20 minutes and the second half was largely an exercise in running out the clock for both teams as the home team coasted to a 91-78 victory and likely punched their ticket to the Big Dance while Indiana limps to the Big Ten Tournament as the ten seed, needing a miracle run in Chicago just to sniff an invitation on Selection Sunday.
As was the case most of the season, Lamar Wilkerson paced the Indiana Hoosiers. The senior finished with 18 points but he was not efficient and finished only 6-15 from the field with three turnovers. Tucker DeVries, Conor Enright, Sam Alexis and Reed Bailey all reached double-figures. Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton became the school’s all-time leading scorer and finished with 25 points while backcourt partner John Mobley Jr. chipped in 18 and freshman Amare Bynum had a huge impact with 18 points and 9 rebounds.
The Hoosiers turned the ball over 12 times and the hole dug in the first 28 minutes of the game was simply too deep for Indiana to escape from. The Buckeyes’ lead ballooned to 24 points before the Hoosiers trimmed it to 11 with four minutes remaining, prompting a timeout by Jake Diebler. Bruce Thornton took the ball to the rack and scored late in the shot clock but Sam Alexis got a three-point play to make it a ten-point game but any hope for the Hoosiers ended as Lamar Wilkerson fouled Devin Royal as he hit a three-pointer. It was the third time IU fouled a shooter beyond the arc and slammed the door shut.
IU ends the regular season at a disappointing, but not altogether surprising, 18-13 and just 9-11 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers will play in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday evening at 6:30 and barring a miraculous run, the first season in Bloomington for Darian DeVries will end in Chicago. IU will need to reset the roster once again and rely on new General Manager Ryan Carr to drastically upgrade the overall talent level for a better outcome in the next season.