Indiana football may be riding high after a dream season capped by a national championship, but the vibes haven’t exactly carried over to the hardwood. The Hoosiers’ basketball team is in the middle of a rough patch, having dropped four straight games-and they’ll be looking to stop the bleeding Friday night when they visit Rutgers in Piscataway.
At 12-7 overall and 3-5 in Big Ten play, Indiana had managed to avoid any extended losing streaks until now. But this current skid has been a gauntlet-three of those four losses came against teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll: Nebraska, Michigan State, and Michigan. The latest setback came Tuesday night in Ann Arbor, where Indiana fell 86-72 to the third-ranked Wolverines.
That final score doesn’t quite tell the full story. Indiana trailed by as many as 25 points before finding some rhythm in the second half. They shot the ball better after halftime, but Michigan owned the glass (41-25 rebounding edge) and took full advantage of 24 Indiana fouls.
“We see what a very good team looks like and we see that we have some improvements we need to make,” said Nick Dorn, who provided a spark off the bench with 14 points and four made threes in a season-high 29 minutes. “So we’re going to make those improvements and try our best to get back on track for our next game.”
Dorn’s performance was a bright spot, but Indiana was also dealing with a key absence. Starting point guard Tayton Conerway, who averages 11.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, attempted to play through an ankle injury but lasted just two minutes before exiting. He hasn’t practiced since, and his availability for Friday remains up in the air-a big question mark for a team that needs his playmaking and perimeter defense.
One player Indiana would love to see stay hot is Tucker DeVries. The senior had been in a major shooting slump, hitting just 7-of-31 from beyond the arc over his previous five games. But he broke out against Michigan, going 4-of-9 from deep and leading the Hoosiers with 15 points.
“He’s been working hard at it, he’s been shooting it great in practice,” said head coach-and father-Darian DeVries. “So it was good to see some of those go down in a game and hopefully take the lid off of it for him.”
The Hoosiers will need all the offensive rhythm they can muster against a Rutgers team that, despite its 9-10 record (2-6 in the Big Ten), has proven tough at home. The Scarlet Knights nearly pulled off a road win at Iowa on Tuesday, falling 68-62. But both of their conference victories-against Oregon and Northwestern-came at home in overtime, and both featured 30-point eruptions from guard Tariq Francis.
Another player to watch for Rutgers is Darren Buchanan Jr., who has quietly been turning into a force. He had 14 points, 10 boards, and the game-saving block in the overtime win over Northwestern, then followed that up with a season-high 17 points against Iowa. His all-around improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“He’s practicing better, he’s just doing a better job in all areas,” said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. “Really proud of him. His improvement’s been dramatic.”
So now, Friday’s matchup becomes a key moment for both teams. For Indiana, it’s a chance to halt a losing streak before it spirals.
For Rutgers, it’s a shot to climb out of the Big Ten basement and build some momentum. Two teams trying to find their way, one conference win that could mean a whole lot more down the road.