INDIANAPOLIS — If the wild weather swings weren't enough of an indication, college basketball season is about to show that March Madness is underway.
Conference tournaments are ongoing in men's basketball, and the NCAA Tournament fates of several Indiana schools hang in the balance.
The Big Ten Tournament began Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Hoosiers enter the tournament on the NCAA bubble, needing a strong showing to make the field of 68 next week.
IU
The Hoosiers stunned top-seeded Illinois Friday afternoon 65-63 to advance to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament. According to ESPN, the win over the Illini is a "slam dunk" to get the Hoosiers into the NCAA Tournament, if they weren't already in after rallying to beat Michigan.
The Hoosiers faced the Hawkeyes in the semifinals on Saturday. It was a close game but they ultimately lost 80-77 after Iowa's Jordan Bohannon banked in a 3-pointer from just inside the midcourt logo with 0.8 seconds left.
On Thursday, the Hoosiers came back from a 17-point deficit in the second half to beat the Michigan Wolverines 74-69.
All-conference foward Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 24 points in the Hoosiers' victory against Michigan, and Xavier Johnson had 17 points.
“I think everyone in the locker room knows how much we need this game,” Jackson-Davis said ahead of Thursday's game against Michigan. “We know where we stand, and we know we have to go get this one.”
Purdue
The Purdue Boilermakers, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, already had a spot in the NCAA Tournament secured, but they ended up playing for a No. 2 seed in the "Big Dance."
The Boilermakers fought off a sluggish start, then a late rally before beating Penn State 69-61 Friday night.
They faced Michigan State Saturday afternoon in the semifinals. Jaden Ivey had 22 points and nine rebounds and Eric Hunter Jr. made two back-breaking 3-pointers late in Saturday's second Big Ten Tournament semifinal to help No. 9 Purdue beat seventh-seeded Michigan State 75-70.
The third-seeded Boilermakers then faced No. 24 Iowa on Sunday in their first title game appearance since 2018.
Keegan Murray had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Iowa in its 75-66 win over Purdue. This is Iowa's first Big Ten Tournament championship since 2006 and the team earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Butler
The Butler Bulldogs entered the postseason needing to win the Big East Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament.
They came back from the brink of elimination in Wednesday's opening round, erasing a six-point deficit to Xavier in the final minute before winning 89-82 in overtime.
The Bulldogs lost a close game Thursday afternoon to No. 11 Providence 65-61. Butler will not make the NCAA Tournament after finishing the season with a 14-19 record.
Ball State
Ball State's season came to an end Thursday night with a 77-67 loss to Ohio University at the MAC Tournament in Cleveland.
Notre Dame
Outside of central Indiana, Notre Dame was widely believed to be in the NCAA Tournament before the postseason started, but will have to await its fate on Selection Sunday after losing to Virginia Tech in the second round of the ACC Tournament.
Indiana teams already out
IUPUI's season came to an end last week with a loss to Oakland in the Horizon League Tournament. The Jaguars battled injuries all season, finishing 3-26 on the year.
Evansville, Indiana State and Purdue Fort Wayne all lost in their conference tournaments, ending their hopes to make the Big Dance.
Women's teams
On the women's side, two Indiana schools will be in the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced next week. IUPUI clinched an automatic bid by winning the Horizon League Tournament, and Indiana, who lost to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament championship game last weekend, is ranked 11th in the nation with a 22-8 record.
The Ball State women made valiant a run at an automatic bid from the Mid-American Conference, but fell short Saturday in the championship game in Cleveland.
After pulling a Friday upset of top-seed Toledo, the fifth-seeded Cardinals fell 79-75 to No. 2 seed Buffalo with a trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Ball State finished 20-12 and holds out hope for a possible at-large bid into the field of 64 into the NCAA.
Selection Sunday for the women's bracket is also Sunday, March 13, with games starting Wednesday, March 16 and running through Sunday, April 3.
The WNIT will also select 64 women's teams for postseason play after the NCAA makes its selections.