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O.G. Anunoby's soaring dunk can't save struggling Indiana

O.G. Anunoby struck again on Tuesday night at Maryland (Getty Images).
O.G. Anunoby struck again on Tuesday night at Maryland (Getty Images).

On a night when Indiana lost for the fourth time in five games to fall further back in the Big Ten standings, O.G. Anunoby at least provided the Hoosiers reason to briefly celebrate.

The sophomore forward shook his defender, attacked the rim and threw down a soaring one-handed dunk over Maryland’s Damonte Dodd during the final minute of Indiana’s 75-72 loss to the Terps.

The only way Anunoby’s dunk could have been better is if it had come with Indiana down two instead of three. Melo Trimble hit a pair of free throws at the other end of the floor with 8.2 seconds left, and then Ronald Johnson’s potential game-tying 3-pointer clanked off the rim harmlessly as time expired.

With losses to Nebraska, Wisconsin and Maryland so far in Big Ten play, Indiana (11-6, 1-3) is in jeopardy of seeing its Big Ten title ambitions dashed before February.

Only twice in the past 10 seasons has the Big Ten champion even suffered as many as four league losses. By that standard, Indiana would have to go 13-1 the remainder of Big Ten play just to give itself slim hope of a co-league title, a highly ambitious goal given the Hoosiers’ tough remaining schedule and season-long inconsistency.

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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!