‘The Little Things’ Propel No. 8 Hoosiers Over Wildcats
11/14/2021 10:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Grace Berger took the hit and didn't blink.
Surely, you weren't surprised.
Indiana's senior guard, steeled by experience, fueled by success, shook off that, and everything else during the No. 7 Hoosiers' 88-67 win over No. 13 Kentucky Sunday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"We're blue collar," coach Teri Moren said, "and we know who we are."
A collision wasn't going to knock Berger out of the game. Not this game. Not with a chance to help the Hoosiers (2-0) validate early Final Four aspirations on a nationally televised scale.
Berger bounced up from that second-half knock down to total 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
"I take hard falls all the time," she said. "It's just the way I play. When my adrenaline is going, I don't feel it. I just got right back up."
Berger, a triple double force in season's past, did everything but sing the National Anthem on Sunday.
Before the game, she was honored for her key role in Team USA's gold medal in last summer's AmeriCup. Then she endured a 0-for-7 shooting start before driving for a layup, drawing a foul, completing the three-point play and finding her groove.
"My mindset is I put in the work," she said. "My teammates believe in me. My coaches believe in me. I could miss 10 shots and think the next one will go in."
When Berger wasn't punishing the Wildcats (2-1), the other key Hoosiers were.
Post players Mackenzie Holmes (29 points, seven rebounds) and Aleksa Gulbe (eight points, nine rebounds) dominated. Guards Ali Patberg (16 points, 5 five assists) and Nicole Cardaño-Hillary (12 points, seven assists, six rebounds) thrived.
"They'd better," Moren said about her best players rising to the occasion. "I expect that from them. I know they've put in the work."
What does such a decisive win mean for the national picture?
"It's nice to have national attention," Moren said. "It helps with a lot of things, especially recruiting.
"We take it one game at a time. As long as we do what we have to do, everything else will take care of itself."
Added Holmes: "We don't pay attention to the weekly polls. They mean more toward end of the year. Right now, we're doing what we do -- work hard every day, prepare for the next team. That's all we focus on"
IU wore down the Wildcats in the second half, just as it did Butler four days earlier in the season opener.
"We wanted to dictate the pace from the beginning," Moren said. "We have tremendous endurance."
This was payback for last year, when the Hoosiers blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in Lexington.
"Last year, we found a way to lose it," Moren said. "To make it right, is a step in the right direction."
Added Berger: "We couldn't let what happened last year, happen again."
The crowd of 5,394 was loud and energized.
Yes, the Hoosiers noticed.
"Hoosier Nation showed up in a big way," Moren said. "We needed them. Our guys feed off their energy."
Thirty former IU women's players were on hand as part of a 50-year program celebration. They were honored at halftime.
"We realize the people who came before us helped us to get to that point," Berger said. "We know IU women's basketball means so much to them. We're grateful for all of them."
Added Moren: "Our job is to take the torch and build the program. They are as competitive as we are. It gives our players an opportunity to meet those ladies who have come before them."
Two NCAA tourney-caliber teams battled to basically a 25-minute tie.
Then the Hoosiers surged.
Cardaño-Hillary hit a free throw and a three-pointer. Berger attacked for a pair of inside baskets. Holmes dominated the paint.
Faster than you could say, "These Hoosiers are Final Four good," they had built a 13-point lead.
Kentucky never threatened again.
"We have so many great players," Holmes said. "Anybody can go for 20 or 30. That's what's special about us."
At the start, Kentucky controlled the boards for a 4-0 opening lead. IU negated that with a heavy dose of Holmes -- four inside baskets and a three-pointer. The Hoosiers led 11-6 midway through the first quarter.
"My teammates were finding me," Holmes said. "That's always helpful. I had open looks. I was trying not to force much."
Aggressive IU defense kept the Wildcats off balance. The Hoosiers built a nine-point lead as UK was 2-for-10 from the field with five turnovers.
A Wildcat surge cut the lead to four before Holmes ended the quarter with a basket and a 20-14 Hoosier edge.
Kentucky forged a 25-25 tie with six minutes left in the half. A no-look pass from Patberg produced a Gulbe layup, then followed that with her own basket. Berger added a rebound basket, hit a short jumper, hit a pair of free throws and drilled a half-court three-pointer as IU reached halftime with a 38-32 lead.
"I don't practice half-court shots," Berger said. "When I do, I'm usually bad at it. The basketball gods were on my side."
The Hoosiers ended the third quarter ahead 65-53, grew the lead to 16 three minutes into the final quarter and cruised from there.
"Our group plays with a humility they've always had," Moren said. "They want to work. They love the game. They want to improve. They enjoyed what they accomplished last year. They had a nice taste of it, and they want more."
A pause.
"This is a determined team."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Grace Berger took the hit and didn't blink.
Surely, you weren't surprised.
Indiana's senior guard, steeled by experience, fueled by success, shook off that, and everything else during the No. 7 Hoosiers' 88-67 win over No. 13 Kentucky Sunday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"We're blue collar," coach Teri Moren said, "and we know who we are."
A collision wasn't going to knock Berger out of the game. Not this game. Not with a chance to help the Hoosiers (2-0) validate early Final Four aspirations on a nationally televised scale.
Berger bounced up from that second-half knock down to total 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
"I take hard falls all the time," she said. "It's just the way I play. When my adrenaline is going, I don't feel it. I just got right back up."
Berger, a triple double force in season's past, did everything but sing the National Anthem on Sunday.
Before the game, she was honored for her key role in Team USA's gold medal in last summer's AmeriCup. Then she endured a 0-for-7 shooting start before driving for a layup, drawing a foul, completing the three-point play and finding her groove.
"My mindset is I put in the work," she said. "My teammates believe in me. My coaches believe in me. I could miss 10 shots and think the next one will go in."
When Berger wasn't punishing the Wildcats (2-1), the other key Hoosiers were.
Post players Mackenzie Holmes (29 points, seven rebounds) and Aleksa Gulbe (eight points, nine rebounds) dominated. Guards Ali Patberg (16 points, 5 five assists) and Nicole Cardaño-Hillary (12 points, seven assists, six rebounds) thrived.
"They'd better," Moren said about her best players rising to the occasion. "I expect that from them. I know they've put in the work."
What does such a decisive win mean for the national picture?
"It's nice to have national attention," Moren said. "It helps with a lot of things, especially recruiting.
"We take it one game at a time. As long as we do what we have to do, everything else will take care of itself."
Added Holmes: "We don't pay attention to the weekly polls. They mean more toward end of the year. Right now, we're doing what we do -- work hard every day, prepare for the next team. That's all we focus on"
IU wore down the Wildcats in the second half, just as it did Butler four days earlier in the season opener.
"We wanted to dictate the pace from the beginning," Moren said. "We have tremendous endurance."
This was payback for last year, when the Hoosiers blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in Lexington.
"Last year, we found a way to lose it," Moren said. "To make it right, is a step in the right direction."
Added Berger: "We couldn't let what happened last year, happen again."
The crowd of 5,394 was loud and energized.
Yes, the Hoosiers noticed.
"Hoosier Nation showed up in a big way," Moren said. "We needed them. Our guys feed off their energy."
Thirty former IU women's players were on hand as part of a 50-year program celebration. They were honored at halftime.
"We realize the people who came before us helped us to get to that point," Berger said. "We know IU women's basketball means so much to them. We're grateful for all of them."
Added Moren: "Our job is to take the torch and build the program. They are as competitive as we are. It gives our players an opportunity to meet those ladies who have come before them."
Two NCAA tourney-caliber teams battled to basically a 25-minute tie.
Then the Hoosiers surged.
Cardaño-Hillary hit a free throw and a three-pointer. Berger attacked for a pair of inside baskets. Holmes dominated the paint.
Faster than you could say, "These Hoosiers are Final Four good," they had built a 13-point lead.
Kentucky never threatened again.
"We have so many great players," Holmes said. "Anybody can go for 20 or 30. That's what's special about us."
At the start, Kentucky controlled the boards for a 4-0 opening lead. IU negated that with a heavy dose of Holmes -- four inside baskets and a three-pointer. The Hoosiers led 11-6 midway through the first quarter.
"My teammates were finding me," Holmes said. "That's always helpful. I had open looks. I was trying not to force much."
Aggressive IU defense kept the Wildcats off balance. The Hoosiers built a nine-point lead as UK was 2-for-10 from the field with five turnovers.
A Wildcat surge cut the lead to four before Holmes ended the quarter with a basket and a 20-14 Hoosier edge.
Kentucky forged a 25-25 tie with six minutes left in the half. A no-look pass from Patberg produced a Gulbe layup, then followed that with her own basket. Berger added a rebound basket, hit a short jumper, hit a pair of free throws and drilled a half-court three-pointer as IU reached halftime with a 38-32 lead.
"I don't practice half-court shots," Berger said. "When I do, I'm usually bad at it. The basketball gods were on my side."
The Hoosiers ended the third quarter ahead 65-53, grew the lead to 16 three minutes into the final quarter and cruised from there.
"Our group plays with a humility they've always had," Moren said. "They want to work. They love the game. They want to improve. They enjoyed what they accomplished last year. They had a nice taste of it, and they want more."
A pause.
"This is a determined team."
Players Mentioned
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Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
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Guard
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