My Two Cents: Can Hoosiers Start To Win Games They Aren't Supposed To?

Indiana hasn't won many games they weren't supposed to the past few years, and they've allowed long runs in two blowout losses so far this season. It's shocking they are big underdogs to Penn State on Sunday, so it would be a good day to steal a win that could jump-start their Big Ten season.

Indiana coach Mike Woodson needs to lead his Hoosiers to a victory on Sunday against Penn State in Philadelphia. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The most disappointing thing about Indiana basketball the past year or so is that they never make us say ''wow.'' They win a bunch of games they are supposed to win, but they never rise up and steal a win, either.

They are 11-3 this season, and they were favored in all 11 wins. it's nice they beat a bunch of 300-level teams — some just barely — and looked good in wins over power conference teams in South Carolina and Providence, but they also got drilled in the two games they were underdogs against Gonzaga and Nebraska.

The common thread in both? They gave up a 17-2 second-half run to Gonzaga in the Bahamas, and closed out the loss at Nebraska with a 17-1 run in the 85-68 loss, missing their last 12 shots.

The Big Ten season is here now, and every game will be tough. That's certainly the case on Sunday when Indiana takes on Penn State in a special day at The Palestra in Philadelphia. The Nittany Lions have done this five times before, playing a Big Ten regular season game here while the students are still out. It's an amazing environment at the iconic building, which opened in 1927 and is one of those bucket-list places for die-hard college basketball fans.

Penn State has played an easy schedule this season, too — theirs is ranked No. 313 — and the Nittany Lions are 12-2. They also have been a pain in the butt for the Hoosiers during the Mike Woodson era. They beat Indiana four straight times before losing in the first round of the Big Ten Tourmanent in Minneapolis last March.

If you recall, the Hoosiers ended the regular season on a bit of a roll last year, winning their four final Big Ten games. So beating Penn State in the tournament was nice, too, but then it all ended the next day with a 27-point loss to Nebraska.

Most Indiana fans were thrilled the season was over.

Mike Woodson and his staff hit the transfer portal hard and basically brought in a new team. They were picked to finish second in the Big Ten preseason poll, and Penn State, even with a lot of players coming back — including team leader Ace Baldwin, Jr. — was picked 17th.

Yes, 17th.

But Indiana has spent the first two months not impressing anyone. And it's stunning that Penn State is a 6.5-point favorite over the Hoosiers on Sunday. No one even blinks anymore that No. 17 Penn State is expected to win easy in a Big Ten game against No. 2 Indiana.

That's why this is a huge day for the Hoosiers. They need to make a statement that they are a good basketball team. Beating Penn State on the road would be a big deal.

A very big deal.

The NCAA calls this an ''alternate home game'' not a neutral-site event, so there would be some juice in getting what would be considered a road win for Indiana. And with a home game coming up against USC on Wednesday, having a good day on Sunday could mean Indiana might be 4-1 in the Big Ten by Wednesday night.

That's saying something.

But getting there has to start with a win on Sunday. Several things are working against them. Junior forward Malik Reneau, who injured his knee in the first minute of Thursday night's home win over Rutgers, will NOT play on Sunday. Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo, who's dealing with a knee injury himself, played great off the bench vs. Rutgers, and he's still on the injury report on Sunday. He needs to play for the Hoosiers to have a chance.

Winning Sunday, to me, is going to need to be all about transfer guards Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle. They were brought to Indiana with a lot of NIL money for games exactly like this. Penn State's guards have abused Indiana for three straight years now, and they have to shut them down on Sunday.

Penn State likes to run, and they score at a high level. They average 87.9 points per game, which is seventh in the nation. They force 17.14 turnovers per game, eighth in the nation.

Rice and Carlyle need to be difference-makers on Sunday. Rice has been mostly good as Indiana's starting point guard this season. Carlyle has been awful offensively, but he can guard people. He need to do that at The Palestra. He lost his starting job to Trey Galloway, and he's going to need to have his best game of the season, too.

With Reneau out, Indiana will have to go small on Sunday. Against Penn State, that may not be a bad thing. And when Ballo is on the floor, Indiana needs to get him the ball on the block. He's a tough matchup for Penn State, with all that strength.

If Indiana is going to be any good this season, Sunday is the day to prove it. This program has so much history in this city, winning 1976 and 1981 national championship here. There will be plenty of Northeast-based Indiana grads in the building, and the Hoosiers will hear lots of noise on their behalf.

Indiana isn't supposed to be in this position, as a big underdog.

They need to change that narrative. Right now.

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• HOW TO WATCH: Indiana continues the 2024-25 season Sunday against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Palestra in Philadelphia, Penn. Here's how to watch, game time and TV info, announcers, the point spread and over/under, projected score, key stats, rankings and more. CLICK HERE

• 3 THINGS TO WATCH: Indiana faces the Nittany Lions at the famed Palestra in Philadelphia on Sunday, a city where the Hoosiers have fond memories. CLICK HERE

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