IU Beats TCU To Reach WNIT Title Game

Wednesday, March 28

Bloomington, IN

7 p.m. ET

Indiana University

22-14

TCU

23-13

TCU

Indiana

3/28/2018 10:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Notes Photo Gallery Box Score

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – One win from a title.

Did you expect it?

Did you?

You'd better believe the Indiana Hoosiers did. The latest example came Wednesday night in front of a rocking Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall crowd of 7,815, the biggest in 15 years. IU took out TCU 71-58 to advance to Saturday's winner-take-all finale against Virginia Tech.

Yes, it will be at Assembly Hall.

"It's extremely special," senior forward Amanda Cahill said. "To get to play your last college game where it all began. That's pretty cool."

And if it comes in the WNIT rather than the more heralded NCAA tourney with unbeaten Connecticut eating up the limelight, that's as relevant in Cream and Crimson circles as papyrus.

"There are six teams still playing and we're one of them," senior guard Tyra Buss said. "It's not the NCAA, but we can hang a banner."

The Hoosiers (22-14) did it the hard way en route to a fifth-straight double-digit victory. They sacrificed their bodies, hitting hardwood with bone-jarring force.

They winced, rose and battled.

Horned Frogs buckled.

Was there any doubt?

"A lot of things that happened don't show up in the stat sheet," coach Teri Moren said. (Freshman guard) Bendu Yeaney has a toughness. Amanda Cahill fought off the ball.

"There were a lot of difficult matchups. TCU doesn't give you an opportunity to rest. The game was won on the defensive end. Whatever we give up in size, we have 10 times that in heart."

Heart means playing at home one last time.

"It's Senior Night Round Two," Buss said. "We want to go out with win.  Not many can say they can end their careers with a win."

Early on Wednesday night, drama surfaced where domination had previously ruled. Unlike IU's four previous opponents, TCU (23-13) was equipped to handle Hoosier tenacity and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall frenzy.

To a point.

"We talked about we had to hustle and be tougher than they were," Cahill said.

And so the Hoosiers were.

"This thing is moving in the right direction," Moren said. "We have an opportunity to win a championship."

TCU had thrived with offense. It had averaged 81.5 points in its four previous WNIT games, the highest of the four remaining teams.

IU countered with defense. It had allowed 55.2 points in its four tourney victories.

The Horned Frogs showcased imposing height with 6-2 Amy Okonkwo, 6-3 Jordan Moore and 6-1 guard Kianna Ray.

Indiana attacked that size, and if it didn't always produce smooth-flowing offense (16 turnovers), they didn't care.

Points added up courtesy of 52.9 percent shooting.

Defense held firm.

Horned Frogs buckled, and the crowd cheered at unprecedented decibel levels for an Indiana women's game. Suddenly the women's single-game attendance record of 10,002 set against Purdue in 2005 seemed within reach.

"It was a special moment," Cahill said. "It gave me chills. We could barely hear each other.  Just to see how far the program has come in the four years since we've been here."

Added Moren: "We've never had a crowd like that. Now the goal is we need 12,000. That's the challenge."

Five Hoosiers scored in double figures, led by Buss's 22 points. Cahill added 14 points and six rebounds. Yeaney had 12 points and nine rebounds. Jaelynn Penn had 13 points. Kym Royster had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

"We're not winning just because of Tyra and Amanda," Moren said. "We're winning because we have a great supporting cast, and we're defending."

Still, Buss led in floor burns and minutes (40), as she always does.

"I'm used to it," she said. "I do a lot of recovery -- ice packs, massages. I try to recover as best I can.

"When I go down, I try to just get right back. Coaches say I'm on the floor a little too much, but that's how I play."

Offense took an early hit Thursday night. IU opened 2-for-10 from the field. TCU was 2-for-9.

After eight minutes, the score was tied at 10-10.

By the end of the first quarter, TCU's height advantage produced a 7-0 edge in second-chance points and a 14-13 lead.

The Hoosiers were down, but far from out.

"We were sticking together and that was giving us good juice on the floor," Buss said. "We knew as long as we handled their pressure and played solid, we would win."

From a 17-17 second-quarter tie IU guards got hot -- and so did the Hoosiers. Their 10-2 run had the crowd roaring and Horned Frog coaches screaming for fouls they didn't get.

The result was a technical foul that Indiana couldn't exploit when Buss missed two free throws, making her 1-for-6 from the line. TCU came back with a three-pointer and a 27-22 score before the Hoosiers settled for a 32-28 halftime lead.

Buss and Cahill opened the third quarter with consecutive three-pointers. The lead swelled to 10, then 13.

This time the Horned Frogs didn't buckle.

They closed within eight before a pair of Cahill free throws put IU ahead 51-40 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter became Hoosier coronation.

Now it's one game away from a hanging a banner, and the Hoosier goal is clear:

Win.

"What a special position to be in," Moren said.

And then …

"For our staff, this is a culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work. We're on track of moving this thing forward. We still have work to do. Hopefully this will help with recruiting."

As far as Virginia Tech (23-13), which advanced with a 64-61 victory over West Virginia Wednesday night, Moren added, "We have to rebound better. Ball security is important. We like to keep it under 12 turnovers, and we had four more than that (Wednesday night).

"We've got to continue to shoot well. Our defense has to continue to be sound. We aren't deep. We have to make sure get some good rest.

"We've got one more. Hopefully we have enough in the tank.

"I believe we do."

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