‘It’s like we got that monkey off our back’: Indiana basketball digs deep and gets much-needed win amid difficult season. Now, it’s about ‘validating it’.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana basketball was in the midst of a four-game losing streak and a 2-8 record over the last 10 games. But on Tuesday, none of that mattered as Indiana turned in its best performance of the season and knocked off Wisconsin, 74-70.

In a game that saw a double-digit lead for Indiana turn into a tie game midway through the second half. To fire alarms that went off and caused an evacuation of Assembly Hall. It was a game that had it all. And, Indiana was able to overcome just about everything and finally finish off a quality performance with a win.

“That locker room is very happy right now,” Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson said postgame. “When you go through a stretch like that, I don’t wish that on anyone. Nobody likes to lose. Me being who I am, I hate losing.”

Indiana came into Tuesday’s matchup ranked 104th in KenPom’s rating, the lowest since Tom Crean’s second season in 2009-10. That team finished 10-21 overall on the season with a KenPom ranking of 192.

Indiana was also ranked 107th in the NET rankings on Tuesday with a record against Quad 1 opponents at 1-8 and Quad 2 of just 4-4.

Despite the win, it was a script that Indiana basketball fans had seen too often. A great start that turns into a collapse. This time, however, there was a different ending.

After stretching a first-half lead to as much as 15 points, Wisconsin outscored Indiana 37-22 over the next 16 minutes, tying the game at 54-all with 10:06 left.

Then, a fire alarm evacuated Assembly Hall for nearly 10 minutes before fans and both teams were allowed back in. After that, it was a back-and-forth battle until the end.

Indiana made winning plays down the stretch — just enough to pull away. They were plays that this team failed to make during its 4-10 stretch since Big Ten play resumed on Jan. 3.

“Mack (Mackenzie Mgbako) stepped up after going down three, hitting the big three. Malik (Reneau) hit the big two leaning inside that put us back up two, which was a huge bucket,” Woodson said. “Then we came down and got a big stop defensively. I mean, it’s not like I haven’t seen that out of our team. We just haven’t done it consistently.”

While it was Mgbako and Reneau who hit signifiant buckets late, it was Kel’el Ware who carried Indiana all game. He scored 18 points in the first 15 minutes — all before taking his first rest.

He would finish with 27 points on 11-of-12 shooting with 11 rebounds and five blocks. Ware’s phenomenal play wasn’t new, however. It was his 12th double-double this season and eighth game with 20+ points.

“At the beginning of the season we were put in so many situations where we had to fight for the win,” Ware said after the win. “And tonight, we came out fought for that win.”

Indiana’s season has not gone how anyone predicted or thought. Sitting at 15-13 and 7-10 in Big Ten play — it’s a Big Ten Tournament title or no NCAA Tournament.

While Mike Woodson and the rest of this Indiana basketball team aren’t looking that far ahead — they all know what’s at stake. Every game is ‘win or go home’ at this point.

“You got to stay patient,” Woodson said. “You can’t just bury the guys. You can’t do that. You got to pat them. We all forget these are 18- and 19-year-old young men, man. Sometimes their feelings are crushed too.

“But that locker room is happy. It’s like we got that monkey off our back, so I’m happy for them.”

“This win means a lot. It’s not even just about me,” Ware added. “That whole team has just been, as y’all seen, on a little downhill. I feel like tonight we finally got over the hump everybody has been talking about.”

So now it’s about ‘validating’ that win. There are three games remaining in the regular season, starting with Maryland this weekend. And again, Indiana knows the job at hand.

“Well, we have to validate it, man,” Woodsons said of Tuesday’s win. “You know, it’s — I’m happy as hell we’re off this slide, but now we got to go to Maryland who has played well at home, is playing well, and see if we can validate what we did this evening and see if we can have a carryover into the Maryland game.”

But, no matter what happens moving forward, this moment on Tuesday will mean something to this group for the remaining few weeks they are all together, especially Mike Woodson.

“Tonight,” Woodson said. “Was Indiana basketball at its best I think.”

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