Northwestern @ Indiana preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 22, 2019 ) Indiana 66, Northwestern 73

Indiana looks to bounce back from two straight losses when it hosts struggling Northwestern on Wednesday. The Hoosiers dropped a 71-64 decision to Arkansas in their non-conference finale before resuming Big Ten play with a 75-59 defeat to No. 14 Maryland on Saturday, and hope to regain their shooting touch after finishing 36 percent from the floor against the Terrapins.

"The ball is not going in the basket," Indiana coach Archie Miller told reporters. "In this league you're in a deep ocean where there's a lot of waves and you have to ride them out and figure out how you can survive." Northwestern is left to pick up the pieces after dressing only seven scholarship players in the 77-68 loss to Minnesota on Sunday. Northwestern put up a valiant effort without Boo Buie (ankle), Anthony Gaines (shoulder), and A.J. Turner (thigh), but eventually succumbed to their fourth consecutive defeat, and hope to stop the bleeding by posting two straight wins in the rivalry with the Hoosiers for the first time since 2010-11. "We've had some tough injury news with three guys that play a lot of minutes," Northwestern coach Chris Collins told reporters. "We've got to do a good job figuring out how we can still function and play with this group."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (5-8, 0-3 Big Ten): Pat Spencer racked up a team-high 22 points and eight assists to go along with four rebounds and a pair of steals in the loss to Minnesota. Miller Kopp added 14 points and Ryan Young finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, but the Wildcats lost the battle of the boards 43-28. Gaines is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, Turner is day to day with a thigh bruise, and Buie, who is averaging 10.8 points per game, is out indefinitely with a high-ankle sprain.

ABOUT INDIANA (11-3): Devonte Green was the lone Hoosier to finish in double figures as he knocked down three 3-pointers en route to 18 points, but the rest of the team combined to go 1-for-11 from beyond the arc in the loss to Maryland. Joey Brunk flirted with a double-double after recording nine points and 10 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass, against the Terrapins. Trayce Jackson-Davis, who leads the Hoosiers in points (14.8) and rebounds (8.4) per game, was limited to a season-low seven points while Al Durham was held to five.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Indiana has won four straight meetings with Northwestern in Bloomington.

2. The Hoosiers are ranked seventh nationally in free throw attempts.

3. Northwestern has dropped eight straight Big Ten road games dating back to last season.

PREDICTION: Indiana 78, Northwestern 60