#IUWBB Game 20 Preview: at No. 20 Northwestern

THE OPENING TIP
Indiana will hit the road to take on No. 20 Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 24 in Evanston, Ill. at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The contest will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network with Lisa Byington and Shelley Till on the call. The game can also be heard on the state-wide IU Radio Network with Greg Murray on the mic.

Indiana (11-8, 3-4) at rv/No. 20 Northwestern (13-6, 2-5)
Sunday, Jan. 24 • 5 p.m. ET
Welsh-Ryan Arena • Evanston, Ill.
Television: BTN or BTN2Go
Radio: IU Radio Network (Greg Murray)

DID YOU KNOW?
• Indiana is playing at Welsh-Ryan Arena for the first time in three seasons. The last meeting with Northwestern in Evanston took place on Jan. 28, 2013.
• Trailing by 11 in the fourth quarter to Illinois last time out, IU outscored the Illini 17-4 in the game's final 6:55, including an 8-0 run to close the game to earn the comeback victory.
• The Hoosiers limited Illinois to 2-of-10 field goals in the final six minutes and held the Illini without a field goal for the game's final 3:17.
• The win over Illinois marked the third time this season that Indiana has won a game after trailing heading into the fourth quarter. Five times this year, the Hoosiers have overcame second half deficits to earn a win, including two games where IU trailed by double digits (11 vs. Samford, 11 vs. Illinois).
• With wins over then-No. 18 Michigan State and then-No. 24 Chattanooga, the Hoosiers have defeated two ranked opponents in the same season for the first time since 2009-10.
• IU leads the Big Ten and is fifth in the nation in free throws made (305) and 13th nationally in free throw attempts (421).
• Indiana has made more free throws than opponents have attempted (242) this season and has outscored the opposition 305-160 (+145) from the charity stripe while shooting 72.4 percent from the line.
• Sophomore Tyra Buss was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 18. She earned the honor after averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in Indiana's two games that week.
• Buss has scored in double figures in every game this season and in 23 straight games dating back to last year, the longest such streak for an IU player since Quacy Barnes scored in double digits in 37-consecutive games to end the 1996-97 season and to start 1997-98. Buss leads the team in scoring (18.4 ppg), assists (4.4 apg) and steals (1.8 spg).
• Amanda Cahill has scored in double figures in every game but two this season and has skied for seven or more rebounds in all but three contests. The sophomore averages 14.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.1 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range.
• In her first career starts over the last three games, Karlee McBride is averaging 11.7 ppg while shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from 3-point range in that span. She nailed a career-high tying four 3-point field goals in the win over Illinois last time out.

THE COACHES
Indiana
Teri Moren
Career Record: 225-154 (13th year)
Indiana Record: 26-24 (2nd year)

Northwestern
Joe McKeown
Career Record: 620-286 (30th year)
Northwestern Record: 111-112 (8th year)

NORTHWESTERN AT A GLANCE
Northwestern is coming off a tough road loss at Minnesota where they fell 95-92 on Jan. 20. The Wildcats have been causing problems for opponent offenses all year as they lead the Big Ten in steals (11.4 spg) and turnovers forced (19.6 per game). NU also protects the paint with nearly five blocks per game (3rd in B1G). Nia Coffey leads NU in scoring as she averages a double-double with 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game to go along with 1.9 blocks per contest. Maggie Lyon scores 16.3 ppg and leads NU in 3-point makes as Christen Inman adds 15.2 ppg and Ashley Deary chips in 13.1 ppg. Deary also leads the conference in steals (4.5 spg) and is second in assists (6.5 apg).

COMEBACK KIDS
Five times this season, Indiana has faced late second-half deficits before overcoming them to earn a victory.

• Jan. 20 vs. Illinois: Indiana trailed by 11 with 7:11 to play in the fourth quarter, 62-51. The Hoosiers roared back, outscoring the Illini 17-4 in the game's final 6:55, including an 8-0 run to close the game in the final 3:09. Karlee McBride nailed the go-ahead 3-point field goal with 1:16 to play to put IU in front for good.
• Jan. 3 vs. Michigan: IU trailed by nine with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, five Hoosiers scored as part of a 12-0 Indiana run to take a 61-58 lead late in regulation. Michigan's Katelynn Flaherty hit a 3-point field goal to force OT before IU outscored the Wolverines 16-8 in the extra period. Indiana scored 12 of its OT points from the free throw line, including the last 10. The Hoosiers outscored Michigan 28-11 in the game's final 10:48.
• Dec. 11 vs. Samford: The Hoosiers trailed by 11 with 4:00 left in the third quarter. IU went on a 17-2 run over a span of 3:56, scoring 13-straight during the stretch to take a four-point lead. In overtime, Indiana outscored Samford 13-4, thanks in part to an 8-0 run by Amanda Cahill by herself to start the OT period.
• Dec. 2 vs. Georgia Tech: Indiana trailed by five with 8:36 to play in the game. IU outscored GT 20-6 in the final 6:37 and held the Yellow Jackets scoreless for the final 4:05 of the game.
• Nov. 17 vs. then-No. 24 Chattanooga: IU trailed by four with 1:44 left in the third quarter and was behind heading into the fourth quarter. Indiana outscored the Mocs 19-6 in the fourth quarter to take the win.

BUSS NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Tyra Buss was named Big Ten Player of the Week by the conference office on Monday. Buss averaged 20.5 points, 6.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game in Indiana's two games last week. It was Buss' first Big Ten Player of the Week honor of her career. She was twice named Big Ten Freshman of the Week a year ago. Buss is the first IU player to earn the conference weekly award since Aulani Sinclair earned the recognition on Dec. 17, 2012.

Buss helped guide the Hoosiers over No. 18 Michigan State on Jan. 13, leading the team with 24 points while shooting 5-of-10 from the field, 2-of-4 from 3-point range and 12-of-17 from the free throw line. She also added four assists, three steals and four boards against the Spartans. At Minnesota on Sunday, Buss tied for the team lead with 17 points and a career-high tying eight assists. She also had five rebounds and two steals.

CASHING IN ON THE FREE ONES
Indiana leads the Big Ten in free throws made (305) and attempted (421) and ranks fifth nationally in free throw makes and 13th in attempts. IU is outscoring opponents 305-160 (+145) from the charity stripe so far this season. The Hoosiers have made more free throws than opponents have attempted (242) while shooting 72.4 percent as a team from the line.

Against No. 18 Michigan State on Jan. 13, the Hoosiers hit 27-of-34 free throws as Indiana is 5-0 when it gets to the free throw line 30 or more times in a game this year.

In the overtime win against Michigan on Jan. 3, Indiana nailed 32-of-42 free throws, marking the most free throws made and attempted ever in a Big Ten game in program history. Those free throws were the most makes and attempts from the line for an IU team since the Hoosiers shot 34-of-50 from the charity stripe against UAB on March 21, 1991.

THE FRIENDLY CONFINES OF ASSEMBLY HALL
Indiana holds an unblemished 8-0 record so far this year in games played inside Assembly Hall, making the Hoosiers the only the team in the Big Ten that has yet to lose at home this season. Home wins this year have been highlighted by knocking off two ranked opponents, winning two games in the Preseason WNIT and defeating Georgia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

GET ON THE BUSS
With her 11 points in the win over Illinois, Tyra Buss has scored in double figures in every game this season and in 23 games consecutively dating back to last year, making her the first IU player with such a streak since Quacy Barnes scored in double digits in 37 consecutive games between the end of 1996-97 season and the start of 1997-98. Buss leads Indiana in scoring (18.4 ppg), assists (4.4 apg) and steals (1.8 spg) while playing 36.9 minutes per game (2nd in B1G, 22nd nationally) and a Big Ten leading 701 minutes played total (9th nationally).

Buss leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in free throws made (125) and second nationally in attempts (164). Her 164 free throw attempts rank ninth in Indiana history for most attempts in a single season. She needs to hit 22 more free throws to break into the top six in program history in most free throws made in a single year.

For the year, she has scored 20 or more points in eight contests. Buss was named to the All-Tournament Team of the Florida Sunshine Classic after tallying 28 points against then-No. 23/21 Miami and 23 points vs. West Virginia. During IU's two games in Orlando, Buss shot 15-of-29 from the field (51.7 percent), 5-of-9 from 3-point range (55.6 percent) and 16-of-19 from the charity stripe (84.2 percent).

CLIMBING TO THE CA-HILL TOP
Amanda Cahill is turning into a double-double machine as the sophomore has achieved double-doubles in four games in the last month to total five on the year and 11 for her career. Her last double-double performance came at Purdue on Jan. 10 when she tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds. In the win over Illinois, Cahill stuffed the stat sheet, tying for the team lead with 16 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.

In Big Ten games only, Cahill is averaging 15.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, making her one of only five players in the conference to average those numbers in league play so far. For the year, she is averaging 14.1 points and a team-leading 7.8 rebounds per game (9th in B1G) with 1.4 steals per contest. She is shooting 52.1 percent (T-14th) from the field and 40.4 percent (8th) from 3-point range.

Cahill has scored in double figures in all but two games this year, including the last 12 consecutively, and has had seven or more rebounds in every game but three. She was one of six players named to the All-Preseason WNIT Team at the conclusion of the tournament on Nov. 22. Cahill scored in double figures in all three games for the Hoosiers in the tournament and led IU in rebounding in every contest.

TWO RANKED WINS FOR FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS
With Indiana's 81-65 triumph over No. 18 Michigan State in Assembly Hall on Jan. 13, it gave IU its second victory over a ranked opponent this season, a feat that has not been accomplished by a Hoosier team since 2009-10. Indiana defeated then-No. 24 Chattanooga in the second round of the Preseason WNIT on Nov. 17. Six years ago, the Hoosiers defeated No. 21/22 Michigan State and No. 4/6 Ohio State in 2009-10.

KARLEE MCBUCKETS
Karlee McBride has started in each of the last three games and has scored in double figures in two of them. During that stretch, she's averaging 11.7 points per game while shooting 52.4 percent (11-of-24) from the field and 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from beyond the arc.

Last time out against Illinois, McBride scored the first eight points of the game for the Hoosiers and nailed the go-ahead 3-point field goal with 1:16 to play to put IU in front for good. She tallied 16 points to tie for the team lead while nailing a career-high tying four 3-point field goals.

Against No. 18 Michigan State on Jan. 13, the junior scored a season-high 17 points without missing a shot, going 5-of-5 from the field, 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. It marked the first time an IU player had a perfect night shooting from the field since McBride herself went 6-of-6 from the field with three 3-pointers for 15 points as a sophomore against Gardner-Webb on Nov. 15, 2014.

JENN FROM THE BLOCK
Jenn Anderson is starting to come around after missing some time in preseason due to injury as she has started in each of the last 13 games and is shooting 62.6 percent from the field so far this year.

Anderson tied her season high of 14 points at Minnesota on Jan. 17 and followed that up with 10 points in the win over Illinois on Jan. 20 with six rebounds and a block while shooting 5-of-8 from the field. She has tallied eight or more points in each of the last five games.

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Players Mentioned

Jenn Anderson

Tyra Buss

Amanda Cahill

Karlee McBride