North by Northwestern

It was anyone’s guess as to which Wildcats team would show up Sunday. Would it be the one who was drubbed by Iowa at home, or the one that stunned ranked Illinois Thursday?

Come tipoff, it was the latter. The 'Cats churned out a stellar defensive effort and a spirited comeback along the perimeter, although it wasn’t enough to top No. 2 Indiana. The Hoosiers (16-2, 4-1 Big Ten) held on for a 67-59 win in front of an impressive contingent of red-clad fans who made the trip to Evanston.

Senior forward Reggie Hearn put in 22 points for the ‘Cats (11-8, 2-4), who came back from an early 26-9 deficit to pull within five late in the game. Star big man Cody Zeller led the Hoosiers with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

From the get-go, the Wildcats looked tough on defense, slowing down an Indiana offense that leads the nation in scoring. Freshman center Alex Olah was able to force Zeller to take tough driving layups and hook shots.

Still, the 'Cats struggled on the glass. Indiana grabbed seven offensive boards in the first half, and several of them resulted in tipped-in points. Instead of boxing out, Northwestern tried to out-jump the Hoosiers, and with Indiana emphatically crashing the boards, their athleticism just didn’t match up.

On the offensive end, the 'Cats weren’t able to get in a rhythm, and as a result, they weren’t getting as many open looks as they did in their win over Illinois. The most successful offensive strategy was driving and kicking for jump shots. Hearn was particularly successful in driving to the lane.

“He’s been playing well all year,” said Northwestern coach Bill Carmody. “He’s a senior, and that’s what’s expected. He’s doing his share.”

Hearn’s play forced the Indiana defense to tighten up inside, opening up several opportunities for kick-out shots. Still, it looked like a typical opening half from Welsh-Ryan. The ‘Cats hit just 1-of-9 three-pointers, and with 30 percent shooting, they were lucky to go into the half down just 31-17.

In the second period, the tempo sped up, and both teams were able to get more open looks. Indiana was able to get to the bucket and draw fouls, taking 24 free throws in the half.

The teams were trading baskets until Carmody decided to go to the 1-3-1 zone with a little over 10 minutes left. Senior forward Jared Swopshire was able to get a steal and an uncontested dunk, igniting the crowd and forcing Indiana coach Tom Crean to call a timeout.

Swopshire led the way down the stretch, hitting a pair of threes and helping cut the deficit to five points three different times. But Zeller responded on the other end, hitting 9-of-10 free throws in the second half and ensuring that the Wildcats would not pull any closer.

The ‘Cats were ultimately done in by their inability to rebound. When they had great chances to cut into the lead, Indiana was able to come up with an offensive rebound or tip-shot.

“Our defense was pretty good, but you’ve got to get it off the glass,” said Carmody. “Our centers had one rebound between them...That’s just not acceptable.”

Despite the loss, it was an encouraging effort from Northwestern. They held the Hoosiers to 18 points below their season average and befuddled them for a while with the zone defense. After poor second-half performances in recent home games, the Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes and nearly completed a monstrous comeback. With two strong outings in a row, the Wildcats may have finally figured out who they are.

“We’re starting to get an identity,” said Carmody. “We’re making some steps. They may be incremental, but I think we’re getting better.”

Northwestern hosts Minnesota on Wednesday in a rematch of the Wildcats’ Jan. 6 loss.

Player Ratings (1-10, 10 being best)

Dave Sobolewski, 7: After an early turnover on an inbounds pass, Sobo didn’t cough it up again for the rest of the game. He did a good job containing Indiana guard Yogi Ferrell, but on offense, he missed 4-of-7 free throws.

Reggie Hearn, 8.5: He has been the spark plug for the ‘Cats all year, and Sunday was no exception. When Northwestern needed a big shot, he stepped up and hit it. On the defensive end, he played with the same energy that we’ve come to expect.

Kale Abrahamson, 2: The freshman went scoreless in just 10 minutes of action. His only shot attempt was an airball on a turnaround jumper. However, he did a solid job defensively in his short time in the game.

Jared Swopshire, 8: Swopshire didn’t start off well, as Indiana forward Christian Watford got free for seven quick points, but he responded quickly. He was by far the best rebounder for Northwestern, hauling in eight boards, and he provided a lot of offensive energy down the stretch.

Alex Olah, 2: Early on, Olah did a good job corralling Zeller and forcing him into tough shots, but Zeller’s quickness eventually got the best of him. Olah was annihilated on the glass, recording just one rebound.

Bench, 4: Redshirt freshman Mike Turner got into foul trouble once again, and he was a complete non-factor on the glass. Senior guard Alex Marcotullio, whose main contribution to the team is three-point shooting, didn’t even get a shot up. Tre Demps was the main contributor off the bench with 11 points, getting quick buckets near the end to try to lengthen the game.