Saturday’s game between IU and Northwestern is compelling enough on paper. The Hoosiers are 12-5, the Wildcats are 13-4, and both teams sit at 2-2 in the Big Ten eager to boost their conference records to better than .500.
However, the death of Northwestern sophomore guard Jordan Hankins on Monday has added more meaning to the matchup. Northwestern postponed Wednesday’s game against Minnesota, so Saturday will be the first game for the Wildcats in a week and the first time the team has played without Hankins.
“Jordan was a remarkably dynamic young woman,” Northwestern Coach Joe McKeown said in a release at the time of Hankins’ death. “This is a devastating loss for our basketball family. She brought an unwavering intensity and commitment to everything in her life. We will miss her enormously.”
The status of Saturday’s game remained somewhat uncertain until Thursday, when the Wildcats decided to go forward with the game.
Per an IU spokesperson both teams will wear special patches with “JH5” on them to honor Hankins, who wore No. 5 for the Wildcats. Both teams are working to come up with other ways to honor the Indianapolis native.
The matchup on the court has significant implications.
With the season more than halfway finished, NCAA Tournament résumés are becoming increasingly important. IU is ranked 61st in the RPI, and Northwestern is No. 54. The Hoosiers currently have no top-50 wins, so a victory Saturday would give IU its best-RPI win of the season. Before IU’s game against Michigan on Tuesday, IU Coach Teri Moren spoke about the significance of Big Ten games.
“I think they’re all important,” Moren said. “We always just talk about it being a one-game season. Every game for us is a measuring stick. Every game matters, and the ones that you can get away from Assembly Hall are very important.”
The Wildcats are led by senior forward Nia Coffey, who averages 20.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Northwestern’s versatile and dynamic backcourt closely mirrors IU’s because both have a shorter ball handler to complement a taller shooting guard. Wildcat senior guards Ashley Deary and Christen Inman stand at 5-foot-4 and 5-foot-10, respectively.
Junior guard Tyra Buss, the shorter member of IU’s backcourt, will be tasked with stopping Deary while senior guard Alexis Gassion’s 5-foot-11 frame will help her match up with Inman. Gassion and Buss combine for about 34 points per game, while Deary and Inman combine for 25 points and almost 10 assists per game.
Buss said Gassion’s length on the perimeter makes her the team’s best on the defensive side.
“Alexis is definitely our best perimeter defender,” Buss said. “She’s just so long, it’s hard to get a shot off. Even when you feel like she’s not on you, she is because she’s so long, and I think Lex really takes pride in her defense, too, which helps.”
The circumstances surrounding Saturday’s game are sure to have some impact on the psyches of all the players. The emotional road environment will make it even tougher for IU to pull out a win, but Moren said she is confident in her team’s ability to handle road games.
“I just think that comes with a veteran team,” Moren said. “You have juniors and seniors that are leading the team. We’re well aware of what it takes to win on the road, but you have to really be sound defensively.”
