Northwestern defeated Indiana 74-61 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center in Chicago on March 11, 2026. The Hoosiers led 37-36 at halftime but collapsed in the second half, getting outscored 38-24. Indiana's season ends with an 18-14 record, leaving their NCAA Tournament hopes uncertain.
The game tipped off at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Indiana entering as an 18-13 team on the NCAA bubble and Northwestern at 14-18. The Hoosiers started strong, leading 13-9 at the first media timeout, thanks to early points from Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson. By the under-12 timeout, Indiana held a 21-13 advantage, and they extended it to 28-19 at the under-8, with Wilkerson scoring eight points on 3-for-5 shooting. At halftime, Indiana led 37-36, but defensive lapses and turnovers had allowed Northwestern to close the gap.
The second half proved disastrous for Indiana. Northwestern quickly took control, leading 45-41 with 16:41 remaining. The Wildcats stretched the lead to 53-44 at the under-12 timeout and 60-47 with 9:33 left after a three-pointer by Jayden Reid. Indiana shot just 5-for-20 from the field in the second half, with only two assists, and committed four turnovers. They were out-rebounded 16-12 after halftime and scored just 24 points total in the period.
Nick Martinelli led Northwestern with 28 points, including 19 in the second half on 9-for-14 shooting after a slow start. Lamar Wilkerson topped Indiana with 17 points, while Tucker DeVries added five points and five assists. A brief injury to Wilkerson's right ankle did not keep him out long.
Postgame, coach Darian DeVries highlighted the need for more depth, size, and physicality to compete in the Big Ten. He noted Northwestern's defensive intensity in the second half disrupted Indiana's movement, leading to stagnant offense. DeVries praised his team's practice habits and locker room culture, calling them a 'great group to coach' that represented the program well. On the NCAA selection committee, he pointed to Indiana's competitiveness in Quad 1 games against top-12 teams and wins over Purdue, UCLA, and Wisconsin as reasons for inclusion.
This loss marked Indiana's seventh straight defeat to Northwestern, dating back to the Archie Miller era. The Wildcats advanced, while the Hoosiers await Selection Sunday to learn their postseason fate.
