@thehoosierhuddle May the Gods of Indiana basketball have in your future more of these live game threads over the coming month.

@bigmike I hope so. They are fun.

I have been scoreboard watching all afternoon. IU got some help with SMU and Cincinnati losing. The Hoosiers could use a Texas loss tonight as well.

Ultimately IU has to win tonight to even have a shot or these other things meaning anything as far as the NCAAT

Reed Bailey will start over Nick Dorn tonight. IU looking for an answer to Martinelli. 

Arrinten Page is OUT for NW as well. He scored 10 points against IU earlier this season. He has not played since March 4th

I know putting Reed Bailey into the starting lineup will draw the ire of many but it does make sense in this matchup. Without Page, NW is small on the interior and Indiana had trouble getting guards (Enright) switched on Martinelli in the 2nd half of the first matchup. Martinelli heated up, IU went on a major drought and you know the rest. Bailey and Alexis can throw length at Martinelli it does create some matchup problems for NW on defense. If Conerway was even remotely engaged anymore, this would be a good game for him to get downhill and attack the basket. 

If we can’t beat NW without Page we should shut program down. 

this not only should be a win

it SHOULD be a blowout

we will see

IU's offense is off to a nice start and the Hoosiers lead 13-9. Martinelli is obviously the focus of IU's defensive plan and he's been shut off so far but Indiana's lack of rim protection is exposed so far as West and Reid are getting to the rim for layups or kick outs for three. 

Indiana is off to a good start up 13-9. IU is shooting 71% from the floor and NW is close behind at 57%. Reed Bailey picked up an offensive foul before the MTO.

Indiana 13 Northwestern 9 14:29 1st Half

Sam Alexis is eating inside 3-4 from the field 

IU is playing intelligently and attacking the paint against this undersized NW team. Martinelli wants to avoid foul trouble at all costs and there's no other big bodies to cause Indiana to think twice so they should keep attacking. Hoosiers lead 21-13 and Miles has two FTs after the 2nd MTO. 

Jasai Miles will go to the line as we hit the Under 12 MTO. Indiana playing well with three players with five or more points led by Wilkerson's 8. The adjustment to a bigger lineup is paying off too. IU has 14 points in the paint and Martinelli is just 1-4 from the floor.

Indiana 21 Northwestern 13 10:09