Against Northwestern, Mgbako once again displayed his ability to attack the rim off the dribble and space the floor with efficient perimeter shooting. Despite the loss, his reemergence as a dynamic scoring threat bodes well for an Indiana team whose struggles have echoed those of Mgbako.

Woodson cited Indiana’s inability to guard Northwestern’s floppy action — an offensive set where shooters start in the paint, run around a screen and take catch-and-shoot 3-pointers from the wing — as a particularly frustrating aspect of the Hoosiers’ defensive performance.

Indiana hopes to be clicking again after absorbing consecutive 25-point losses. The Hoosiers enter Wednesday's game against Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., coming off a 77-76 overtime victory at Ohio State and remain firmly in the hunt for a top-four seed and bye into the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals in March.