INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Indiana pushed No. 1 seed USC to the limit but was not able to put together enough stops to stop the No. 2 team in the country and fell by a score of 84-79.
Indiana could not stop USC’s All-American Duo
In a game against one of the most talented teams in the country, the Hoosiers needed to stop the Trojans’ best two players: Big Ten Player of the Year JuJu Watkins and unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection Kiki Iriafen. However, Indiana was not able to do this. The USC dynamic duo combined for 52 points, 20 rebounds and five assists.
Rebounding hurt the Hoosiers once again
Rebounding has not been the Hoosiers’ strong suit this season. They ranked dead last in the Big Ten almost all season in that category, and it showed Friday against the second-best rebounding team in the conference. The Trojans had 11 offensive boards, which all seemed to be very timely and led to key baskets.
If the Hoosiers want to be successful in March, they will need to improve this key category.
Hoosiers proved they could make some noise in March
Despite the loss, Indiana showed once again they deserve to be a NCAA Tournament team. Only losing by five to a team that will most likely be a No. 1 seed in March Madness shows how capable Indiana is of making a deep run.
However, if the Hoosiers do get in March Madness again, they will have to go on the road. This is something they have not had to do in their past three appearances.
With all this in mind, the Hoosiers have proven they will be a tough out for any team they face.
