After securing the win over Penn State last night, Northwestern will have to do it all again at 5:30 p.m. CT today against Indiana. The game serves as a rematch of the comeback win the Wildcats had over the Hoosiers in Bloomington, where Northwestern found themselves down as many as 13 points. Despite this game being played much closer to Evanston, the Wildcats enter Wednesday’s matchup as significant underdogs, playing their second game in as many days against an Indiana squad that has been waiting
since Saturday.
Still, for a Northwestern team that has spent much of this season finding new ways to lose close games, Tuesday’s gritty win over Penn State — where the ‘Cats held on despite leading by just two at halftime — was a reminder of what this group can look like when the pressure is highest. Here are three keys for Northwestern to pull off the upset again.
Martinelli and Kropp Must Carry the Interior
Nick Martinelli has been the only consistent part of an otherwise lackluster offense all season, and with Indiana’s rim protection ranking 293rd nationally in block percentage, that’s an open invitation for the senior to attack the paint. In NU’s win at Assembly Hall last month, Martinelli led the way with 28 points, most of his 11 field goals coming in the paint — a pattern he repeated Tuesday night, where he finished with 24 points and nine rebounds. A large offensive load clearly hasn’t bothered Martinelli before, but with Arrinten Page’s status up in the air, that might be a big ask, which is why Collins will need to look to Tyler Kropp to ease his burden. Kropp did a solid job against Penn State, putting up six points and six boards — four on the offensive end — in 21 minutes. The Wildcats will need more of the same from the freshman, especially if Page is unavailable.
Suffocate Indiana’s Three-Point Diet
The Hoosiers shoot a staggering 50.9% of their field goals from three — ranking 10th nationally — and when those shots don’t fall, Indiana often has a hard time putting up any fight. Fifth-year senior Lamar Wilkerson is the top threat among Hoosier shooters at 38.3% from deep, but Northwestern has already shown it has a blueprint to contain him after holding Wilkerson to 0-of-9 from deep in the second half in Bloomington. Disciplined closeouts and clean defensive rotations are the key to slowing down Indiana on offense.
Allow Reid to Orchestrate the Offense
Jayden Reid’s nine assists against Penn State were a reminder of how well this offense can operate when he’s in control. Scoring isn’t a necessity for Reid — though his 14 points Monday didn’t hurt. He just needs to keep the offense flowing and in control of that side of the court. Reid’s 36.4% assist rate ranks 25th nationally and is the key driver for Northwestern ranking fourth in the country in assist rate at 65.7%. Indiana has dropped five of its last six matchups, and while three days of rest is a luxury, that much time away from competitive basketball has proved to be lethal for teams before. If Reid can keep the ball moving and avoid the costly turnovers that had the ‘Cats struggling early on Tuesday, Northwestern would be in prime position to secure its second victory of the season against Indiana.
