Indiana men’s basketball has dominated its long series against Northwestern.
The Hoosiers and Wildcats have played 176 total games, dating back to 1908. IU is 119-57 in those matchups.
NU has had a few successful periods in that time, but not many, and they don’t typically last long. But the Wildcats’ recent dominance over IU is unlike any stretch they’ve ever had against the Hoosiers.
Northwestern’s 76-72 victory over IU on Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is its fourth straight victory in the series. This is only the third time ever Indiana has lost at least four consecutive games to Northwestern, and the first time it’s happened since 1931 to 1933.
The Hoosiers dropped six out of seven games against the Wildcats from 2009 to 2011, but IU’s win came in the middle of two three-game losing streaks.
Additionally, Sunday’s game gave Northwestern its first-ever three-game winning streak over IU in Bloomington. Indiana’s last win over NU was in February 2021, in Evanston. The Hoosiers haven’t beaten the Wildcats at Assembly Hall since January 2020.
This level of success for Northwestern against Indiana reflects multiple things. NU has obviously improved over the last few seasons — the Wildcats are on the NCAA Tournament bubble this year, and should they get in, it would give them back-to-back March Madness appearances for the first time ever.
IU will feel like it could’ve won multiple games in this four-game losing streak — had it not been for a bevy of suspensions in February 2022, or had officials called an offensive foul on Boo Buie on last season’s game-winning shot. But the Hoosiers have had trouble with several different opponents during Mike Woodson’s tenure, and Northwestern is clearly one of them.
For complete coverage of IU basketball, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- Find us on Facebook: thedailyhoosier
- You can follow us on Twitter: @daily_hoosier
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.