[1111] IU-USC Postgame Show

Indiana fell to USC 81-75 in Los Angeles, closing out a grueling West Coast road trip with a flat performance two days after their emotional double-overtime victory over UCLA.

Despite battling back from an 11-point second-half deficit to have a chance late, the Hoosiers shot just 28.6% from three-point range and got only 11 combined points from Nick Dorn and Tucker DeVries as physical and mental fatigue seemed to catch up with them. The loss drops Indiana to 15-8 overall and 6-6 in Big Ten play.

Jerod Morris and Ryan Phillips break down the disappointing but somewhat expected letdown:

• Lamar Wilkerson's heroic 33-point performance carrying Indiana offensively when no other Hoosier reached double figures, continuing his remarkable stretch that's put him squarely in first-team All-Big Ten consideration
• Why the shooting struggles (Dorn 2-of-12 from three, DeVries 1-of-9 from the field) were symptoms of tired legs after playing deep into double overtime Saturday—flat shots rattling halfway down and out instead of dropping
• The critical moments when Indiana needed to adjust away from settling for perimeter shots against USC's length and shot-blocking (11th nationally in block percentage) but continued forcing threes
• How USC's Alijah Arenas made the plays of the game, hitting key shots to turn momentum when Indiana cut the deficit to four in the second half
• Tayton Conerway's return to action showing encouraging burst and driving ability in 10 minutes, raising questions about the optimal starting lineup moving forward with Dorn playing so well
• Why this loss stings less than most of Indiana's eight defeats this year—the mentality shift in this program where they fight for 40 minutes even without their A-game
• The all-important homestand ahead against Wisconsin and Oregon that will determine whether this road trip represents progress or a missed opportunity

Plus, as always: the big moments you might have missed, stats that stood out, and our game ball and hustle award.

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