There aren’t any routine weeks left on Indiana’s schedule, and this one might be the least routine of all — two good opponents, two very different challenges, and not a quiet minute anywhere in sight.
When you live in the middle of this league — good enough to beat almost anyone, vulnerable enough to lose to almost anyone, especially on the road — every week feels like walking a tightrope. One slip and momentum disappears. A couple of steady steps and suddenly you’re talking about real progress.
That’s what makes this stretch exciting and a little nerve-racking at the same time.
The USC game, especially, feels trickier than it looks on paper. The Trojans’ 5–6 league record doesn’t jump out at you, but their schedule has been brutal, with games against Purdue, at Michigan State, at Illinois, at Michigan, and at Wisconsin. They’ve been competitive most nights and even won at Wisconsin, which tells you they’re capable of beating anybody when they get comfortable. They’ve been thrown into the deep end of this league schedule and have held their own, and this feels like one of those games where if you don’t show up sharp, you could be in trouble.
And let’s be honest — 10 p.m. Eastern on Peacock isn’t exactly fan-friendly. A lot of folks don’t even get Peacock, and the late start feels like a double whammy for Hoosiers watching back home. Thank goodness for Don Fischer and the radio call for those of us pacing the house.
If Indiana wants this streak to reach four, it’s going to have to earn it the hard way.
Then comes Wisconsin on Saturday, which could feel enormous if the Hoosiers take care of business out west — a noon tip, Assembly Hall packed, momentum building, the kind of game that can change the trajectory of a season in a hurry.
What I’ll be watching isn’t just shooting percentages or who scores 20. It’s the habits. Can Indiana keep moving the ball when shots don’t fall? Can they defend and rebound well enough to survive ugly stretches? And if they have a lead late, can they finally close the door without taking years off our lives like they did against Purdue and UCLA? You can’t keep giving good teams second chances.
The encouraging part is that this group looks more equipped for these moments than it did a month ago. Nick Dorn’s shooting has stretched the floor, Reed Bailey’s improved physicality inside has given them a real presence, and the whole offense feels more connected and purposeful. Even the defense has that steady, “we’re not going away” feel that travels.
That’s growth, and growth is what this season has always been about.
So this week feels less like a referendum and more like an opportunity — two tough games, two chances to prove the recent progress isn’t a blip, and two more games where we’ll probably be standing up in the living room pretending not to be nervous.
Better get the Maalox ready again.
Wouldn’t have it any other way.
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