Indiana UPSETS No. 5 Purdue, Completes SEASON SWEEP [FULL GAME RECAP] | CBS Sports
The Hoosier State is well the Hoosier State. Indiana pulling off the upset in West Lafayette, down by four at the half. An early run out of the locker room propelled Indiana to the lead, and they never gave it back. Led by 35 off the hand of Jalen Hood-Chifino, the Hoosiers secure their second consecutive 20-win season and first win at Mackie in eight tries. Alongside senior college hoops, writer Matt Norlander, I'm your host Joe Musso. Matt, what a Saturday it was. Let's start right there in the Hoosier State with Indiana pulling off the upset over Perdue.
I want to go bad here first, because Perdue, losers now in four of their last six, look to be destined for a one line. Is that now in question in your eyes? I think it can fairly be in question now, with the slump that's come along here. And Perdue was obviously favored in this game. It's now been swept by IU in this season series. So yes, there's still enough time for other teams to catch up to Perdue on the one line. Perdue's not just one game ahead of Northwestern in the Big Ten standings for first place, which is amazing to consider there. So Matt Panner's a very, very good coach.
Zacchia is still the favorite for National Player of the Year, but that race seems to be tightening in the past couple of weeks. We'll see if the boilers can really get it together. We've seen them be really good against a number of opponents, but it's undeniable at this point. On the back, you know, third end of the regular season, that Perdue has shown itself to be vulnerable. And some of the concerns early, the freshman backcourt, the lack of size, exposing Edie here, and they're on the defensive end. That's come to be, and Indiana look really good tonight. This one's been a long time coming for Mike Woodson, who lost all four times as a player in West Lafayette, pulls off the win here.
How much can be said about Indiana at this point in the season? We're looking for those live sides, you know, that we want to move further into our bracket. Is Indiana a team that has opened your eyes to over the last month or so? It really has. I got to be honest. Now, Indiana has been up and down. So prior to this, it had the loss at Michigan State, and it wasn't that competitive. It lost against Northwestern by two. But before that, it went through a stretch, Joe, where it won eight out of nine.
Big pictures over the past six weeks. Indiana has been able to do it. I have to emphasize Jalen Huchafino. He's going to be the freshman of the year in the conference. And what we saw here wasn't a one game thing. There have been multiple instances this season where Huchafino has been the alpha, not Trace Jackson Davis for Indiana. And so what IU has now, this is the big picture stuff.
IU might take another loss or two before we get to selection Sunday. That's on the table. But Indiana fans know that between Trace Jackson Davis and Jalen Huchafino, they have two number ones. They have two guys that are good enough at both ends of the floor to command this team deep into the NCAA tournament. And by deep, I'm just putting it on the table. I'm not predicting it would happen. I have seen enough, Joe, from both of these players that Indiana making a final four is not an unreasonable scenario.
They won't be favored to do so. They're going to have to get some big wins. But I don't see really hardly any way that IU is going to be some sort of one and done team in the NCAA tournament. No doubt one to keep an eye on. Do you want a sports network that delivers everything that matters about the game? The highlights, the picks, the instant analysis, no yelling, no fake debates, no politics. Hit the subscribe button and never miss a moment.
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