NCAA Basketball: Kansas State, Providence on the rise on latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
19. Indiana (10-4)
A preseason favorite in the Big Ten, our expectations for Indiana seem to change on a weekly basis. That’s not to say this isn’t still a great basketball team, especially now with Xavier Johnson missing an extended period of time. The bottom line is that the Hoosiers were back on the court this week for the first time in over a week and it did not go according to plan.
Thursday saw the Hoosiers fall 91-89 on the road against Iowa, blowing a 10-point halftime lead in a very high-scoring affair. Indiana got another marvelous effort from Trayce Jackson-Davis, who had 30 points and 9 rebounds. Jalen Hood-Schifino contributed 21 points. The Hoosiers shot 54% from the field and 53% from 3 and could not win this game.
A road win at Xavier and a home win against North Carolina is what’s built Indiana’s resume because they haven’t taken care of those other chances in recent weeks. Losses to Arizona and Kansas are excusable, but the Hoosiers are going to need to make a statement in Big Ten play, especially as they sit at just 1-2 against the Big Ten. In the next seven days, they’ll host Northwestern, head to Penn State, and host Wisconsin, giving them ample chances to get back on track in this conference race.