Northwestern Slams the Door Shut on Indiana University Men’s Basketball’s NCAA Tournament Hopes The #15 Seed Northwestern Wildcats beat the #10 Seed Indiana Hoosiers 74-61 Wednesday Night in the Second Round of the TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Indiana drops to 18-14 on the season and by most projections will be left out of the NCAA Tournament when the field of 68 is announced on Sunday Evening at 6 PM on CBS. The Hoosiers came into the game projected as the last team in or the first team out depending on what bracketology projections you follow. The Hoosiers have lost six of their last seven games and had plenty of chances to build their NCAA tournament resume but could not. Northwestern is 15-18 overall and will play #7 Seed Purdue in the Third Round. The Wildcats have beaten the Hoosiers seven straight times including 72-68 comeback win in Bloomington on February 24th. Nick Martinelli scored 28 points, and Jake West added 18 points as the Wildcats only led once in the first half 33-32 when Tyler Kropp hit a three pointer with 2:49 remaining before the break.
Nick Dorn hit a triple to give the Hoosiers the lead as Indiana led 37-36 at halftime. Northwestern outscored the Hoosiers 38-24 in the second half as the Hoosiers went cold in the second half going six minutes without scoring and going 3-15 from the field in the final 14-plus minutes. Northwestern led 70-52 with 5 and half minutes left after Jordan Clayton made a free throw. Both teams struggled down the stretch with the Wildcats missing their last seven shots and the Hoosiers going 1-4 down the stretch. Nick Martinelli came alive in the second half just like he did in the first meeting in February going 5-7 early in the second half while the Hoosiers were 2-11 from the field as the Wildcats led 57-47 with 10 Minutes left in the second half. The Wildcats were 26-54 from the field for 48%, 6-14 from three-point range for 43% and 16-21 from the free throw line for 76%. Northwestern had 27 rebounds, 15 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks and 6 turnovers.
Lamar Wilkerson scored 17 points, and Tayton Conerway added 14 points off the bench as the Hoosiers were 20-45 from the field for 44%, 6-17 from three-point range for 35% and 15-22 from the free throw line for 68%. Indiana had 29 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks and 11 turnovers. Indiana is 17-28 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament and the 15th time the Hoosiers have lost the first game since the Conference Tournament started in 1998. It’s unclear if Indiana will accept another postseason tournament bid at this point. The last two seasons under then Head Coach Mike Woodson the Hoosiers declined postseason tournament bids after Back-to-Back 19-win seasons. Indiana last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2023 but since 2016 Indiana has appeared in the Big Dance twice with 2022 and the NIT in 2017 and 2019.
32 Indiana University Swimmers and Divers Qualify for the NCAA Championships Following the NCAA’s announcement of swimming qualifiers for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships as well as the conclusion of the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships, No. 3/6 Indiana finalized its rosters for the national meet on Wednesday. Thirty-two athletes will represent IU over the next two weeks at the two NCAA swimming and diving championship meets, starting with the women’s competition scheduled to run next Wednesday through Saturday (March 18-21). The men’s meet will run the following week (March 25-28). Indiana qualified 19 athletes – 16 swimmers, three divers – for the men’s meet, the nation’s largest roster. IU added four divers to its women’s roster this week at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships after the NCAA announced nine swimmers had qualified last Tuesday.
The Big Ten Champion men will have a representative in every event and multiple competitors in 20 of 22 events. The Hoosiers have six qualifications in the 400-yard IM, five in the 100-yard backstroke and four apiece in the 500-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard IM. Including relays, Hoosiers own 16 top 10 seeds and six top five seeds in their events. The two-time reigning NCAA Champion in the 1,650-yard freestyle, senior Zalán Sárkány is favored to win the mile again as the top seed in the event. Sárkány also owns the No. 2 seed in the 500-yard freestyle. Classmate Owen McDonald has the top seed in the 200 IM. Freshman Josh Bey ranks No. 2 in the 400 IM after breaking the Big Ten record in his conference title victory last month.
2026 NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Indiana Women’s Qualifiers
Kaylee Bishop – platform
Mary Kate Cavanaugh – platform
Liberty Clark – 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle
Mya DeWitt – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke
Miranda Grana – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 100 butterfly
Macky Hodges – 200 backstroke, 200 IM, 400 IM
Grace Hoeper – 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle
Jonette Laegreid – Relay alternate
Kristina Paegle – 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle
Ella Roselli – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
Alex Shackell – 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly
Reese Tiltmann – 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 400 IM
Lily Witte – 1-meter, 3-meter
200 freestyle relay
400 freestyle relay
800 freestyle relay
200 medley relay
400 freestyle relay
Indiana Men’s Qualifiers
Alexei Avakov – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke
Toby Barnett – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 IM
Josh Bey – 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 400 IM
Noah Cakir – 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 400 IM
Luke Ellis – 500 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle, 400 IM
Travis Gulledge – 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke
Miroslav Knedla – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke
David Kovacs – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 400 IM
Mikkel Lee – 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle
Owen McDonald – 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 IM
Raekwon Noel – 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly
Aiden Sadler – 3-meter
Zalán Sárkány – 500 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle, 400 IM
Aaron Shackell – 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 butterfly
Dylan Smiley – 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke
Joshua Sollenberger – 1-meter, 3-meter
Maxwell Weinrich – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform
Kai van Westering – 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke
Luke Whitlock – 500 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle, 400 IM
200 freestyle relay
400 freestyle relay
800 freestyle relay
200 medley relay
400 freestyle relay
Indiana University Women’s Basketball Sophomore Phoenix Stotijin to Enter the Transfer Portal The transfer portal carousel has begun for Indiana women’s basketball. Sophomore guard Phoenix Stotijn, per a report from On3, will enter the portal when it opens on April 6. Stotijn appeared in 24 games for IU this season, averaging 2.1 points, one assist, and 0.7 rebounds across 14.3 minutes per game. She transferred to Bloomington last spring after leaving Arkansas. The Amsterdam, Netherlands native played a key role off the bench for the Hoosiers early in the season, averaging 19.2 minutes per game through their first 13 contests. But her numbers underwhelmed in that span, with 3.2 points, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 rebounds per game. Stotijn’s playing time diminished significantly the rest of the way, as she played double-digit minutes in only three games after Christmas — two out of pure necessity with Shay Ciezki injured. She fell out of the rotation entirely by season’s end.
Taylor Trojans Focused on Men’s Basketball NAIA Tournament Opener Against Northwestern Taylor (19-10) earned an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament announced Thursday evening and is set to travel to Orange City, Iowa as the No. 13 seed in the Naismith Region of the bracket. Taylor had an amazing season, increasing its win total by five in Head Coach Austin Peters’ second year at the helm. Peters guided a young team to a fifth-place finish in the Crossroads League, including wins over No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 19 Bethel, and No. 22 Huntington. The Trojans’ offense was spectacular this season, averaging 81.1 points while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. The great ball movement of Taylor was showcased by an electric 18.7 assists per game, led by freshman point guard Carson Gould with 4.8 per contest. That mark is the highest in over two decades for Taylor and is three short of the most total assists in the same time span. Gould set the single game assist record with 13 in a win over Marian in January.
Pacing the offense for TU was junior duo Pete Combs and Izaiah Day. Combs was named First-Team All-Crossroads League after averaging 15.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest while shooting 63.2 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from beyond the arc. Day was recognized as Second-Team All-Crossroads League after putting up 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game, while hitting a CL high 88 threes. The TU defense was vastly improved and allowed under 73 points per game this season. A dedication to dominating the glass has proved fruitful, with Taylor bringing down 37.6 rebounds per game, and a rebounding margin of 4.0.
Northwestern is riding a 13-game winning streak into the first round, with their most recent loss back in early January. The Red Raiders finished second in the Great Plains Conference, but won the conference tournament in dominant fashion, sandwiching two blowouts with a seven-point victory over Mount Marty. The Red Raiders have an elite offense, which tops the NAIA in points, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage. The Red Raiders have the NAIA’s top two leading scorers in Jesse Van Kalsbeek (27.9) and Jalen Langsy (27.4). The dynamic duo was both named to the GPAC First Team, with Van Kalsbeek named the GPAC Player of the Year. Kalsbeek is also second in the NAIA with 12.4 rebounds as he dominates the post, while Langsy is one of the best sharpshooters in the NAIA, with the third best three-point and free throw percentages. Langsy has made 138 shots from beyond the arc, which is 30 more than anyone else in the NAIA.
Northwestern is making its seventh-straight NAIA National Tournament appearance and have advanced to the sweet 16 the past two seasons. Colton Kooima took over as Head Coach this past offseason for a legend in Kris Korver, who collected two NAIA National Championships in 25 years as the Head Coach at Northwestern. The winner between Taylor and Northwestern will advance to face the winner of the matchup between RV William Penn (25-6) and College of Idaho (20-10) for a chance to advance to the Round of 16 at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for K-College students. Tickets purchased online at nwcraiders.com/tickets will waive the processing fee, while tickets purchased at the gate will include a $1.00 fee. For those unable to attend the game, all NAIA Tournament games will be televised free of charge by the Urban Edge Network.
Cailtin Clark Scores 17 Points and Dishes 12 Assists for Team USA in a Rout over Senegal Caitlin Clark scored 17 points in her return to action Wednesday as the United States routed Senegal in a qualifier for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in San Juan Puerto Rico. Clark only took five shots from the field — all 3-pointers — in a little more than 19 minutes of action in her debut on the senior national team. She made four of the five shots and added a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line, while dishing 12 assists in the 110-46 win. The Indiana Fever star hadn’t played in a game since she injured her right groin in a July 15, 2025, game against the Connecticut Sun. Injuries forced her out of all but 13 games in her second WNBA season. She announced Sept. 4 that she would miss the final three games of the Fever’s regular season and the playoffs.
Rhyne Howard scored 21 points to lead the Americans, who led nearly the whole game after Senegal took a 1-0 lead. The U.S. responded with a 15-0 run, and the rout was on. Princeton, Indiana native Jackie Young scored eight points to go with five rebounds for Team USA. Nene Ndiaye, who plays collegiately for Rutgers, scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in the loss. The U.S. is back in action tonight against Puerto Rico, which is hosting Group A play in the qualifying stage. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT in San Juan. The Americans will also face Italy, New Zealand and Spain in group play. The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup will be held in September in Berlin.
The Indianapolis Colts and Quarterback Daniel Jones Agree on a Two-Year Contract The Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Daniel Jones have agreed on a new contract, according to multiple reports. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero says the contract is for two years and is an $88 million deal that can be worth up to $100 million with incentives. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Jones is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, with one source telling Schefter that he expects Jones to be “absolutely” ready for training camp.
The Indiana Pacers become the first team Eliminated from the NBA Postseason Devin Carter scored 22 of his career-best 24 points in the fourth quarter to power the Sacramento Kings to a 114-109 comeback win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night. Carter scored 13 straight points down the stretch for Sacramento, who trailed by as many as 20 points and were down by 10 heading into the final frame. The Kings shot 46% from the field and 35% from deep, while the Pacers shot 41% and 30% respectively. Carter was 9 of 13 from the field and 3 for 4 from beyond the arc. Maxime Raynaud’s and-1 jumper with 16 seconds remaining finished off the win. Raynaud had an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double, the 15th of the season for the 7-foot-1 rookie. Russell Westbrook added 16 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan and Nique Clifford each scored 12 points.
Indiana led 59-42 at the half, but Sacramento took their first lead since the first quarter on Carter’s 3-pointer with 4:16 remaining in regulation. Aaron Nesmith led all scorers with 29 points, 24 of them in the first half. Obi Toppin scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Kam Jones had 14 points and nine assists. Indiana extended its NBA-long losing streak to 10 games, and the game matched teams with the NBA’s two worst records. Pascal Siakam (right knee sprain) and Andrew Nembhard (back and neck soreness) did not play. They are the Pacers’ first and third-leading scorers, respectively. The Kings had dropped their last three meetings against Indiana, including a 116-105 defeat on Dec. 8 in Indianapolis. The Pacers are now officially eliminated from the 2026 postseason.