The 2015-2016 season has featured a lot of ups and down for the Hoosiers. There was the debacle at Maui followed by the blowout loss at Duke. There was the momentum-busting loss at Penn State that some thought took IU out of contention for a Big Ten title.
But the Hoosiers won the Big Ten title outright for the second time in four years. Here are the stories about the major moments and turning points of this season, and how the Hoosiers found themselves in possession of the Big Ten title trophy.
IU loses two at Maui Invitational
LAHAINA, Hawaii – A week-long trip to Maui was everything but a vacation for IU. On the heels of a dominant victory over Creighton, the Hoosiers arrived in the United States' 50th state on Friday undefeated and ranked in the top-15 nationally in both major college basketball polls.
After falling to UNLV (5-1) on Wednesday, 72-69, IU (4-2) will leave the Maui Invitational with a pair of losses and a sixth-place tournament finish. When IU last played in the Maui Invitational in 2008 – IU Coach Tom Crean's first season in Bloomington – the Hoosiers finished seventh with an identical record in the tournament.
IU falls flat at No. 7 Duke, loses by 20
After four possessions, Duke had scored four times. There were 3-pointers and midrange jumpshots, some coming after an offensive rebound. But for each of their first four possessions, the Blue Devils scored.
This stretch wasn’t the difference Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. IU led for almost eight minutes in the first half.
But in Duke’s 94-74 win, IU couldn’t consistently get stops on defense, allowing Duke to shoot 52 percent from the field and gather 26 second chance points.
Hoosiers use 16-point comeback to beat Fighting Irish in Crossroads Classic
Yogi Ferrell was looking up to his teammate, sophomore guard Robert Johnson, while nodding his head and slapping the side of Johnson's.
The Hoosiers were up six points with 18 seconds remaining and junior forward Troy Willaims was going to the line for two free throws to ice the game.
Williams made one of two and Notre Dame missed a three pointer to end an 80-73 win Saturday in the Crossroads Classic, despite the Hoosiers trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half.
Sophomore guard James Blackmon Jr. will not play against Rutgers
IU will be forced to begin its conference season against Rutgers without one of its best players, James Blackmon Jr.
The sophomore guard injured his knee in practice this week, IU announced Wednesday. Blackmon Jr. averaged 15.8 points a game so far this season. He is undergoing further evaluation to determine the extent of the injury.
Senior forward steps up to help IU beat Rutgers 79-72 in Big Ten opener
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Prior to IU’s Big Ten opener at Rutgers, it was announced that sophomore guard and second-leading scorer James Blackmon Jr. would not play due to a knee injury.
Meanwhile, freshman center Thomas Bryant fouled out with 8:24 remaining in the game, picking up five fouls in just six minutes.
Blackmon Jr. to undergo knee surgery
IU sophomore guard James Blackmon Jr. will have surgery on his right knee Tuesday afternoon, according to an IU Athletics release.
The exact period of time Blackmon Jr. will be sidelined is unknown, but IU Athletics said he will miss at least the entirety of this season.
Blackmon Jr. injured his knee last week in practice, keeping him from playing in the Hoosiers’ first two conference games.
IU routs Illinois for 11th straight win, 103-69
With 19 3-pointers, the Hoosiers also set the record for 3-pointers in a game.
They scored more than 100 points in a Big Ten game for the first time in more than three years.
Hoosiers not able to overcome 19 turnovers in loss to Badgers
On Jan. 5 in Assembly Hall, IU couldn’t take care of the ball — but the Hoosiers kept that from becoming the story when they pulled out a 1-point win against Wisconsin.
Tuesday night, however, IU wasn’t able make up for its 19 turnovers, and the Badgers defeated the Hoosiers 82-79 in overtime.
IU uses 25-0 first half run to topple Michigan
IU’s lead was eight, then 15 and finally 21 before the end of the first half. The Hoosiers scored 25 unanswered points – as part of a 41-9 run – in an eventual 80-67 win against the Wolverines.
“Sometimes the other team is just damn better than you on that night,” he said.
Midway through the opening half, IU trailed 24-20.
IU goes cold from behind the arc in stumble at Penn State
After a road win against Michigan and before two games against No. 5 Iowa and No. 10 Michigan State, IU had a road game against a Penn State team with only two Big Ten wins before Saturday.
However, ahead of this stretch, IU lost 68-63 in State College, Pennsylvania, while shooting 33 percent from the field.
IU upsets Iowa, 85-78
Assembly Hall felt depleted.
Compared to a first half where the Hoosiers led the Hawkeyes by as many as 16, now IU was missing shots, turning the ball over and couldn’t keep up with Iowa’s physicality.
With about eight minutes to go, the Hoosiers showed their first sign of life. Senior forward Max Bielfeldt scored to tie the game and then scored again to give IU a 64-61 lead.
Hoosiers fall apart in second half against Spartans
EAST LANSING, Mich. — After what might have been the biggest win of the season, the wheels seemed to fall off all at once.
Senior guard Yogi Ferrell looked exasperated. Junior forward Troy Williams didn’t score a single point. In the final minute, IU strength and conditioning coach Lyonel Anderson snapped his clipboard in half.
After trailing by just one point at halftime, IU lost 88-69 to a Michigan State team led by senior guard Denzel Valentine with 30 points and 13 assists.
Hoosiers win the battle inside to gain sole possession of first place in the Big Ten
This game featured three IU big men with at least four fouls. Two others had three.
Junior forward Collin Hartman played the last few minutes with a bandage covering a gash on his chin. The wound would require stitches after the game.
But the Hoosiers, even with foul trouble and injuries, didn’t back down Saturday night. Against a Purdue team featuring two 7-footers and another 6-foot-9 player, IU attacked the paint and won 77-73 against Purdue to gain sole possession of first place in the Big Ten.
Hoosiers may be without Robert Johnson against Illini
The loss of sophomore guard and second-leading scorer James Blackmon Jr. at the beginning of the Big Ten season didn’t keep IU from climbing to the top of the conference standings.
But now the question is whether the Hoosiers can sustain another blow to their backcourt — and they might have to find out tonight.
Sophomore guard Robert Johnson left Saturday’s game against Purdue with what IU Coach Tom Crean later called “a definite ankle sprain.” Johnson had to be carried off the court, and he didn’t return during the game, which was a win over the Boilermakers.
IU secures Big Ten title outright, defeats Iowa 81-78
The Hoosiers couldn’t seem to pull away from the Hawkeyes.
After leading by as many as 14 points in the second half, IU found itself trailing with under four minutes left Tuesday night.
But the Hoosiers responded to every punch and whistle to beat Iowa 81-78 to win its second outright Big Ten title in the last four years.
“That’s one reason these guys are champions,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “They’ve responded to every experience and gotten better from it.”
Even when the Hoosiers were up two possessions with six seconds left, the game wasn’t over.
IU wins on senior day for first time in four years
Though it was the beginning of the season, they had just lost two of three games that had people questioning IU’s high preseason expectations.
That’s when IU Coach Tom Crean asked his players a question.
“He said, ‘Do you guys play at Indiana or for Indiana?’” senior guard Nick Zeisloft said. “He goes, ‘We got a bunch of guys in here that play at Indiana, not for Indiana.’”
That was a Big Ten title ago. It was before IU went a perfect 19-0 in Assembly Hall.
Things are a little different now.
Crean, Ferrell earn Big Ten honors
IU Coach Tom Crean is the 2016 Big Ten Coach of the Year, the conference announced Monday night during its end-of-season awards show on the Big Ten Network.
Crean led his team to a 25-6 (15-3) season and the Hoosiers’ second regular season Big Ten Championship in four years.
When he found out about the honor, Crean said he stayed quiet for 10 minutes before telling his wife. Crean was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year by the Associated Press earlier Monday.
