Indiana's Tucker DeVries (12) drives on Northwestern's Jake West (3) during the Indiana versus Northwestern men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
Indiana's Tucker DeVries (12) drives on Northwestern's Jake West (3) during the Indiana versus Northwestern men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
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How bad was Indiana basketball loss to Northwestern in March Madness projections?

Nothing about Indiana basketball’s loss to Northwestern on Tuesday looks good:

Did that 72-68 loss in which IU went more than nine minutes late in the second half without a field goal put the Hoosiers on the NCAA tournament bubble? Did it knock them out of the March Madness field?

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Bracketology: How bad was Indiana’s loss to Northwestern?

David Cobb of CBS Sports: “This one will look a little uglier when the selection committee is evaluating whether IU is deserving of a spot in the field of 68. While it’s technically a Quad 2 loss — for now — because Northwestern is now inside the top 75 of the NET, it brought a brutal hit to Indiana’s standing in Wins Above Bubble as the Hoosiers’ WAB ranking fell from No. 43 to No. 48.”

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi keeps IU in the field, with a First Four spot, though without much confidence: “Indiana survives its loss to Northwestern, for now, because we still need 68 teams in the field.”

IU’s next game offers its best chance at redemption, when No. 13 Michigan State visits on Sunday, March 1. The Spartans play No. 8 Purdue on Thursday, Feb. 26.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How bad was Indiana basketball loss to Northwestern in March Madness projections?

Reporting by Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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