Fast Start Guides Indiana Women’s Basketball to Victory Over Northern Kentucky

Thursday, December 8

Bloomington, Ind.

7 pm

Indiana University

6-3

100

Northern Kentucky

2-6

Northern Kentucky

Indiana

100

Fast Start Guides Indiana Women’s Basketball to Victory Over Northern Kentucky

12/8/2016 9:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Opening the game up on a 25-0 run, Indiana Women's Basketball never looked back as it blew past Northern Kentucky, 100-49, for its 18^th-straight home win inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday night.

Six players guided the Hoosiers to the convincing win, backed by a career-high 16 points from senior guard Karlee McBride and double-doubles from junior guard Tyra Buss and senior guard Alexis Gassion as IU hit the century mark for the first time since the 2014-15 season opener and just the second time under third-year head coach Teri Moren.

The Hoosiers were led offensively by McBride, who went 6-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Buss's fifth career double-double came way of 14 points and a new career-high 10 assist as she extended her streak of double figure scoring games to 46 while also adding two rebounds and a steal in the win. Gassion narrowly missed a new career-high in rebounds with a game-high 15 boards to go along with 10 points and two assists.

Junior forward Amanda Cahill chipped in 14 points to go along with eight rebounds and while sophomore guard Kym Royster posted back-to-back double figure games with 13 points in the win. Senior forward Jenn Anderson rounded out scoring with 10 points to give IU six players in double figures for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

The Hoosiers once again compiled a 60 percent clip from the field, shooting 60.6 percent on the night (43-for-71) including a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor from Gassion and 50 percent or better individual from seven different players. IU once again dominated on the boards, outrebounding the Norse (2-6) 49-22, including a 18-9 advantage on the offensive glass.

Almost half of Indiana's buckets were assisted as it tied a season-high 21 assists, led by 10 from Buss and four from Cahill.

It was all Indiana from the get go, opening on a 25-0 run before Northern Kentucky found the board with a little over four minutes to play. The Hoosiers would close the first 10 minutes of play with a 35-5 lead, tying the fewest points allowed in a quarter this season.

In the second quarter, Indiana was paced by six points from freshman forward Darby Foresman – who ended the night with a career-high eight points and six rebounds - off the bench as it shot 64.3 percent from the floor. IU would play its closest quarter of the contest, as it narrowly outscored NKU, 19-17, before taking a 54-22 lead at the break.

The second half proved to be a game of runs for IU, as it continued to spread the lead coming out in the third, opening the half on a 11-0 run. It was much of the same in the fourth quarter, coming out to an 8-0 run as Indiana held its first opponent of the season to less than 50 points.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Teri Moren
"It's great to be back home at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. It's been a long couple of weeks for us on the road. We've learned a lot about ourselves. Anytime you come up short, you learn a lot. We continue to struggle primarily on the defensive end and our ability to rebound the ball. I know this, what we did defensively tonight might be good enough to beat Northern Kentucky, but it's certainly not good enough to beat the folks down the road. We have to get better, we just do. Defending is hard. Rebounding is hard. Until we can get our kids to understand that – tonight I just asked them not to play the scoreboard. Just to really focus on ourselves defensively being more sound, getting off screens better. We have to make sure that one thing for sure, we have to be committed to that end (the defensive end) and we have to get better. Although we put points up on the board tonight, it's good to see that Tyra (Buss), obviously she struggled from the field, but she comes up with a double-double. I thought she was terrific tonight sharing the ball."

NOTES
• With the 100-49 victory over Northern Kentucky the Hoosiers win their 18^th straight game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The streak is tied for the seventh-best active streak in the NCAA.
• The 51-point margin of victory is also the most since winning by 61 against Gardner-Webb.
• The Hoosiers held a 64-22 advantage in points in the paint. Over the last two games Indiana has outscored their opponent a combined 108-40 in points in the paint.
• In the last two games, IU has outrebounded its opponent a combined 93-36. Indiana has outrebounded its opponent in seven of nine games this season.
• The Hoosiers shot 43-of-71 (60.6 percent) for the game. It is the second time this season the Hoosiers have shot over 60 percent (North Texas, 64.6 percent). The Hoosiers have shot 50 percent or better in five of nine games this season. Indiana shot 12-of-16 (75 percent) from the field in the third quarter.
• The Hoosiers started the game scoring the first 25 points to jump out to a 25-0 lead as they connected on their first six shots.
• Indiana held NKU to two field goals in the first quarter. Indiana also held NKU scoreless for the first 5:58 of the game. The five points by NKU in the first quarter is tied for the fewest points an Indiana opponent has scored in a quarter this season.
• The Hoosiers 35 points in the first quarter are the most in program history (this is the second season NCAA women's basketball has played with the quarter system).
• The 54 points in the first half for the Hoosiers is tied for their most points in a half this season and most in a half for the Hoosiers since 2/4/16 vs. Iowa (56).
• Buss now has 1,165 points and ranks 18^th on the Hoosiers all-time scoring list. Buss is four points from moving into a tie for 17^th place.
• Senior Alexis Gassion registered her fifth career double-double with 10 points and a season-high 15 rebounds. Gassion was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. Gassion has scored in double-figures in seven of nine games this season. Gassion currently ranks 21^st of the Hoosiers all-time scoring list with 1,043 points. She is 56 points away from a tie for 20^th on the list.
• Junior Amanda Cahill made her first five shots and finished the game with 14 points and eight rebounds. Cahill has grabbed at least six rebounds in every game this season and score in double-figures in eight of nine games.
• Sophomore Kym Royster scored in double-figures for the eighth time in her career with 13 points.
• Senior Jenn Anderson tied a season-high with 12 points on 5-of-7 from the field.
• Freshman Darby Foresman scored a season-high eight points and grabbed a season-high six rebounds.

UP NEXT
The homestand continues as Indiana welcomes Valparaiso on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is set for 2 p.m. ET and will be carried live on BTN Plus.

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