Second-Half Surge Sends No. 10/7 Indiana over Western Michigan 67-57

Sunday, December 19

Bloomington, Ind.

1 P.M. ET

Indiana University

9-2,2-0Big Ten

Western Michigan

6-3,0-0MAC

Western Mich.

Indiana

Second-Half Surge Sends No. 10/7 Indiana over Western Michigan 67-57

12/19/2021 4:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery Highlights Postgame Press Conference

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Behind a strong third quarter showing, the No. 10/7 Indiana Women's Basketball team defeated Western Michigan, 67-57, on Sunday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

KEY MOMENTS

Graduate guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary tallied a steal on Western Michigan's opening possession and drove to the basket for the first basket of the afternoon.
Sophomore forward Kiandra Browne grabbed an offensive rebound and finished at the rim to extend the IU (9-2, 2-0 B1G) first-quarter lead to 8-4.
On a breakaway following a turnover, Cardaño-Hillary played a no-look pass to junior forward Mackenzie Holmes who finished the layup to extend IU's lead, 23-17.
Deep into the second period, graduate guard Ali Patberg found a cutting senior forward Grace Berger who took the pass for an easy finish at the basket.
Berger hit a jumper in the closing seconds of the second quarter to give IU a 33-27 advantage at the break.
Holmes and Berger tallied back-to-back baskets in the third quarter to extend IU's lead to 10 right after the halftime interval.
The Hoosiers opened the second half on a 7-0 run, prompting a Western Michigan (6-3) timeout at the 7:52 mark in the third quarter.
IU's strong start to the third quarter turned into an eventual 14-0 run with Western Michigan recording its first points of the half at the 4:06 mark in the third period.
After a Western Michigan turnover, Berger went coast-to-coast, finishing a layup through contact. She followed that by hitting the ensuing and-one free throw.
Cardaño-Hillary hit a three from the wing early in the fourth quarter to extend IU's lead back to 15.
Out of a Western Michigan timeout in the fourth quarter, IU found Holmes on an inbound pass. She took the pass, spun and finished through contact to give IU a 17-point lead.

NOTABLES

Mackenzie Holmes notched her second double-double of the season and 10^th of her career with 17 points and 19 rebounds. The 19 rebounds are tied for 10^th in a single game in program history and are the most since Alexis Gassion had 20 on 12/17/16.
Grace Berger scored in double figures for the 10 time in 11 games this season with 16 points. Berger moved into 23^rd on the Hoosiers all-time scoring list and now has 1,155 points.
The Hoosiers outrebounded the Broncos 47-29 and had 18 offensive rebounds. The 18 offensive rebounds are the most for Indiana since they had 18 on 2/24/21 at Wisconsin.
Indiana outscored Western Michigan 38-22 in points in the paint. Over the last three games combined the Hoosiers have an 151-64 advantage in points in the paint over opponents.
Grace Berger (seven points) and Mackenzie Holmes (four points) scored the first 11 points of the second half for the Hoosiers.
Indiana scored the first 14 points of the third quarter and outscored Western Michigan 22-11 in the period.
Grace Berger scored 10 of her 16 points in the third quarter.
Western Michigan game into the game averaging 72.9 points per game and the Hoosiers held the Broncos to 57 points.
Kiandra Browne tied her career-high in rebounds with 10 and added nine points in just under 15 minutes of play. Seven of her 10 boards were offensive rebounds.
For the sixth time this season the Hoosiers held an opponent below 60 points.
Ali Patberg contributed 13 points, six assists and four rebounds.

QUOTABLE
Indiana head coach Teri Moren
"Well, it's a win, let's start with that. I thought we got off to a slow start. I thought we were pretty sluggish for I would say 35 minutes, most of the game. I thought we were really good coming out of halftime, ready to go defensively, made a 13-0 run, and then we kind of went back to being sluggish defensively. Glad that we won the game, but not as pleased as I wanted to be with us defensively this afternoon. We stayed right at the eleven turnover mark which is I suppose good for us. I wanted to be under eleven. I thought KB (Kiandra Browne) was the energy player of the game. I thought she came and gave us tremendous minutes, a tremendous amount of energy. So, if there was one bright spot, I would say that she was that. I thought Ali Patberg did a great job and Grace Berger of managing the game throughout. Mack had a double-double, which is great, but my issue today with my basketball team is that I thought we were very poor defensively this afternoon."

UP NEXT
IU continues a three-game homestand on Tuesday, December 21^st with a matchup against Wright State inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The tip is set for 7:00 p.m.

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