IU basketball lost for the fifth time in six games to close the regular season, falling 91-78 on Saturday to Ohio State at Value City Arena.
Here are five takeaways from the loss to the Buckeyes:
Indiana’s defense struggles again
After breaking its streak of allowing more than a point per possession in 14 straight games against Minnesota on Wednesday night, Indiana’s defense returned to the form it has shown for much of the Big Ten season on Saturday in Columbus.
The Hoosiers allowed 91 points to Ohio State, the second-highest total for the Buckeyes this season in a Big Ten game.
Ohio State finished with 1.34 points per possession, which is the second-most points per possession the Hoosiers have allowed in a game this season.
As much promise as Indiana showed at times offensively during the regular season, its defensive collapse in Big Ten play was season-defining.
The 20-game Big Ten season is now complete and Indiana allowed 1.154 points per possession, which currently ranks 14th in the conference, ahead of only Northwestern, Rutgers, Maryland and Penn State, four of the bottom five teams in the conference standings.
Ohio State exploits IU’s inability to defend without fouling
One of the biggest issues with Indiana’s defense was a major issue in Saturday’s loss. The Hoosiers once again failed to defend without fouling.
The Buckeyes posted a free-throw rate (FTA/FGA) of 51 percent in their 13-point win against the Hoosiers.
It is the highest free-throw rate allowed by Indiana since the USC loss on February 3 in Los Angeles, when the Trojans posted a free-throw rate of 57.4 percent.
It also marked the eighth time this season that Indiana has allowed a free-throw rate of more than 50 percent. Indiana lost all seven of those games.
In Big Ten play, Indiana’s opponent free-throw rate of 37.5 percent currently ranks 16th in the conference with just one day left in the regular season.
Lamar Wilkerson sets single-season points record by an IU player in Big Ten play
A bright spot this season has been Lamar Wilkerson’s steady scoring.
While Saturday wasn’t the strongest game by Wilkerson from an efficiency standpoint, he still managed 18 points on 6-for-15 shooting in 40 minutes.
And with his 18 points, Wilkerson moved past Jimmy Rayl and Don Schlundt for the program record for single-season points in Big Ten play. Both Rayl and Schlundt played in different eras with two fewer Big Ten games and no 3-point shot.
Wilkerson had 464 points in 20 Big Ten games, good for an average of 23.2 points in league play.
After making a pair of 3-pointers in Saturday’s loss, Wilkerson now has 103 made 3-pointers this season. He needs four more triples to tie Steve Alford for the single-season record for made 3-pointers.
Indiana’s backup guards played 20 combined minutes and didn’t attempt a field goal
The Hoosiers haven’t gotten consistent production from the bench all season.
On an evening in which Reed Bailey played a solid game – 12 points and five rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench – IU’s two guards off the bench didn’t contribute offensively.
Jasai Miles and Tayton Conerway combined to play 20 minutes and didn’t attempt a field goal.
Miles hasn’t been an offensive threat for most of the season, but Conerway has gone from a starter to the fringe of the rotation in the second half.
Last season’s Sun Belt player of the year played only seven minutes in Saturday’s loss. Over IU’s last three games, Conerway has played a total of 22 minutes and attempted two shots.
Through the season’s first 18 games, Conerway started each contest and scored in double figures in 10 games. Since his injury against Iowa on January 17, he’s made just one start and has scored in double figures twice in 10 appearances.
Hoosiers struggle from distance while Ohio State torches the nets
To give itself a chance to win on Saturday, Indiana needed to contain Ohio State from the perimeter and have a hot shooting night of its own.
The Hoosiers were unable to pull off either feat.
Indiana shot just 5-for-18 from 3-point range in Saturday’s loss, marking just the fourth time this season the Hoosiers have made five or fewer 3-pointers in a game.
In its 11 Big Ten losses this season, Indiana shot 94-for-306 on 3s, which is only 30.7 percent.
Ohio State, meanwhile, went 11-for-24 on 3s, marking just the fourth time in 20 Big Ten games that the Buckeyes connected on 10 or more 3-pointers.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
See More: Five Takeaways, Lamar Wilkerson, Ohio State Buckeyes, Tayton Conerway