3 reasons IU lost at Rutgers — again: Ugly offense, too many mistakes, dumb ejection.

Rutgers’ withering defense buried Indiana on Tuesday night, in a 66-57 loss for the Hoosiers in New Jersey. Here are three reasons why:

The rockest of fights

Indiana couldn’t have expected anything more from their latest trip to the Rutgers Athletic Center, now contractually known as Jersey Mike’s Arena.

The Scarlet Knights are among the toughest, stingiest defensive teams in the country. Indeed, it’s the only reason offense-challenged Rutgers’ head remains above water as we approach mid-January, Steve Pikiell’s team trying to claw out of last place in the Big Ten.

Defense will be how they do it, and defense was the name of the game in the first 20 minutes Tuesday. Rutgers led 30-27 at halftime thanks only to a banked-in 28-footer, the other 19:58 of the half an almighty slog between two teams trading good defense and very bad offense back and forth.

IU made its size count with 18 points in the paint. Rutgers’ active hands led to 11 Mike Woodson-frustrating turnovers. The two teams combined to shoot 5-of-21 from 3, even the open ones refusing to fall.

This will have been the game Woodson and company expected when they turned up in New Jersey, and it’s the game they got. At very least across the game’s opening 20 minutes, they did not seem cowed, an improvement on last season’s loss at Rutgers and the latest suggestion this team’s rugged November-December has hardened the Hoosiers for the conference to come.

Indiana vs. Rutgers player ratings:We handed out our first ZERO

Xavier Johnson ejected

Xavier Johnson, Indiana’s sixth-year point guard, struggled with his teammates Tuesday, but he didn’t see the finish with them.

Johnson was ejected in the second half of Tuesday’s loss after being assessed a flagrant two foul, following an in-action altercation with Antwone Woolfolk. Johnson appeared to tangle with Woolfolk navigating a Rutgers screen, his arms ending between Woolfolk’s legs. Woolfolk then sent Johnson to the floor with hard contact around the shoulders and neck, drawing an initial foul.

Upon review, Johnson was assessed the more serious of two flagrant fouls, and ejected from the game.  

Johnson finished with two points, two assists, three steals and five turnovers in 23 minutes.

Too many missing links

One of Woodson’s core sermons to his team centers on road performances. What it takes for a group to go away from home, limit mistakes, stay connected and assemble a winning effort.

Precious few of those boxes got ticked Tuesday night.

The Hoosiers finished their second Big Ten loss with 18 turnovers. They shot an alarming 4-of-15 from the free-throw line. They missed 19 of their 26 3s, albeit a number of those coming late in the game with Indiana chasing.

This is not necessarily a young team in years (though it is No. 222 nationally in Division I experience, per KenPom). But it is young in time together. It’s young in experience as a unit, trying to stay connected and cohesive when things are going or have gone wrong.

Woodson expects the things he did not get Tuesday — care with the ball, attention to detail, focus on the fine margins, like free throws. That’s what wins an otherwise limited team needed road victories. It’s what can separate this team in the ways it needs to as this season wears on, but not the ways it is right now.

IU has to find that sometime soon here, in the thick of Big Ten play. It was woefully lacking Tuesday night.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

Indiana basketball stats vs. Rutgers

INDIANA (11-4): Mgbako 4-11 2-5 13, Reneau 6-10 0-2 13, Ware 5-10 2-6 13, Galloway 4-13 0-2 8, Johnson 1-4 0-0 2, Gunn 2-7 0-0 6, Cupps 1-1 0-0 2, Walker 0-1 0-0 0, Banks 0-1 0-0 0, Leal 0-0 0-0 0, Sparks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-58 4-15 57.

RUTGERS (8-6): Hyatt 3-8 4-5 12, Mag 4-12 4-6 13, Omoruyi 2-7 1-2 5, Simpson 2-13 5-7 10, A.Williams 5-9 0-0 10, Davis 4-9 1-2 10, Fernandes 0-2 2-2 2, Palmquist 0-1 2-2 2, Woolfolk 1-2 0-2 2, Griffiths 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 21-65 19-28 66.

Halftime—Rutgers 30-27. 3-Point Goals_Indiana 7-26 (Mgbako 3-8, Gunn 2-6, Ware 1-1, Reneau 1-4, Walker 0-1, Johnson 0-2, Galloway 0-4), Rutgers 5-22 (Hyatt 2-6, Simpson 1-3, Davis 1-4, Mag 1-5, Fernandes 0-1, A.Williams 0-1, Griffiths 0-2). Fouled Out_Mgbako. Rebounds_Indiana 37 (Ware 17), Rutgers 46 (Omoruyi 11). Assists_Indiana 17 (Reneau 7), Rutgers 12 (Mag 4). Total Fouls_Indiana 22, Rutgers 13.