Indiana began the season with 12 consecutive victories.But coach Tom Crean said IU is a better team now than they were after capturing that 12th straight victory Dec. 22 against Maryland-Baltimore County.The No.Indiana’s final road game of the season played out like many of the others this year.
The Hoosiers went to halftime tied with Penn State. But Navorro Bowman’s 73-yard interception return in the third quarter gave the Nittany Lions the lead and momentum for the rest of the game. Penn State went on to win 31-20.
IU has led in the fourth quarters of three of its four Big Ten road games.
The Hoosiers just couldn’t close out at Michigan and Northwestern. Iowa eventually pulled away.
Indiana played Penn State tough, but didn’t capitalize on three of the Nittany Lions’ four first-half turnovers.
The Hoosiers’ inability to take advantage of their rivals’ miscues was reminiscent of games at Northwestern and Iowa.
IU only had the one turnover, but it was a big one as running back Trea Burgess tipped Ben Chappell’s pass into the air. The ball landed in Bowman’s hands, giving Penn State the break it needed.
“Playing hard and competing the way we are that needs to be the norm,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “That’s the expectation. And then we’ve got to make the plays within it, because it’s still a game.”
