MBB: Northwestern Pounds IU, 78-61

EVANSTON, Ill. - John Shurna led five Northwestern players in double figures with 16 points Sunday as the Wildcats defeated Indiana 78-61 for their first three-game winning streak against the Hoosiers in almost eight decades.
Luka Mirkovic added 14 points and Jeremy Nash 13 for Northwestern (16-7, 5-6 Big Ten), which is only one victory from the single-season school record set in 1982-83 and matched last year.
While Northwestern makes progress toward what it hopes will be its first NCAA tournament bid, times remain tough for traditional powerhouse Indiana (9-13, 3-7).
Verdell Jones III scored a career-high 28 points for the young, rebuilding Hoosiers, who have won five NCAA titles and have made 35 tournament appearances but went 6-25 last season. They suffered their fourth consecutive loss and seventh in nine games.
Northwestern hadn't beaten Indiana more than twice in a row since a five-game streak from 1930-33. Though the Hoosiers lead the all-time series 108-44, they are 6-6 against Northwestern since winning 26 straight from 1988-2003.
Indiana fell behind 13-2 Sunday and never really made a serious run. By the 10:57 mark, the Wildcats had taken a 23-9 lead, Indiana coach Tom Crean had used two timeouts, the Hoosiers had been whistled for seven fouls (to none on Northwestern) and the Wildcats had outshot Indiana 67 percent to 33 percent.
Northwestern went up 26-11 before Jones helped Indiana whittle away at the lead. He made two mid-range jumpers, a 3-pointer and two free throws and assisted on two layups by Christian Watford as the Hoosiers pulled within 38-29.
Mike Capocci's dunk put the Wildcats up 40-29 at halftime, and Shurna made three 3-pointers as they opened a 58-38 lead with 12:34 left.
Jones personally outscored Northwestern 10-2 as Indiana cut its deficit to 60-49 with 7 minutes left, but Drew Crawford made a layup and Nash converted a three-point play to put Northwestern back in control.
Jones has scored 72 points in Indiana's last three games.