Indiana University Athletics
‘Connected’ Hoosiers ‘Ready to Play Hearts Out’
3/18/2022 9:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- One-and-done pressure has arrived, a women's national basketball title opportunity looms, and Indiana embraces the moment.
"We're ready to play our hearts out," guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary says.
Last year's program-best Elite Eight finish, and a season rated among the nation's elite, has the No. 3 seeded Hoosiers (22-8) thinking big.
"My hope is we continue to play good basketball," coach Teri Moren says.
Action starts with Saturday's opener against No. 14 seed Charlotte (22-9) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Also in the field are No. 6 seed Kentucky and No. 11 Princeton.
"We had a good practice, watched a lot of film," guard Grace Berger says. "We're rested and ready to go."
With nearly everyone back from that Elite Eight team, and steeled by a rugged, Covid-delayed run through Big Ten play, and then a four-games-in-four-days blitz through the conference tournament, as well as overcoming an injury to standout center Mackenzie Holmes that cost her eight games, IU is prepared as never before.
"Being a veteran team is very helpful," Cardaño-Hillary says. "Getting where we got last year is, as well.
"Then, playing in so many games in not that many days has prepared us to keep our heads down and do what we do."
What the Hoosiers do as well as any team in the country these days is thrive in the postseason.
It starts, Moren says, with a deceptively simple concept.
"We understand the magnitude and importance of every game," she says. "The first game in tournament play is the most important because it can give you momentum.
"Our kids understand that because they've lived it. Our leadership has been incredible.
"We've had to go through some adversity, but it's only made this group stronger and more connected."
Hosting NCAA tourney games is another big step for an Indiana program that has plenty of them during Moren's eight years, including the 2018 WNIT title and seven straight seasons of 21 or more victories.
"There's clearly a home-court advantage," she says. "That's one of the things we're looking forward to.
"We've had a lot of historic moments since we've been here. It's another thing we can add to what we're building, what we've been able to accomplish, understanding our job is far from complete in terms of what we want to do and accomplish."
Hosting also boosts recruiting, Moren adds.
"It's another thing we're able to say in the recruiting process."
IU's run to the Big Ten tourney title game -- it lost to Iowa in the finals -- reinvigorated team confidence after a rough end of the regular season (losses in four of its last five games).
"It was good in the sense that we beat several of the top teams in the country," Berger says. "It proved to ourselves that we belong in the conversation with the top teams in the country, that we can compete with anybody."
Competition on Saturday focuses on Charlotte. It's led by guard Octavia Jett-Wilson (19.1 points) and forward Keke McKinney (8.1 rebounds).
"They have a lot of dynamic guards," Berger says, "so it's good to be a challenge, specifically as guards to guard them. They're athletic. They're quick.
"They have a lot of Power Five transfers, so they've been here before. They're not scared to play us."
Adds Moren: "They're a terrific, guard-oriented team that's going to challenge us off the bounce and in transition.
"We have to be really good on that end, but we also have to take advantage offensively of our size."
Taking the brunt of IU's size will be the 6-1 McKinney, who faces a match up with the 6-3 Holmes.
"Just be physical," McKinney says. "That's going to be the biggest thing for me. Obviously, (Holmes) is a great post player. They have a lot of them. Be physical and trust my teammates to help me."
This 49ers team is built on trust, says 11th year coach Cara Consuegra.
"We've worked hard to get to this moment," she says. "Nothing was handed to us. We had to earn it. We had to win some difficult games, overtime games, close games.
"We're here to compete. We're here to do hard things."
As far as Indiana, Consuegra says, "They know how to play their roles. They're a great team. It's going to be a difficult task, but we've done a lot of difficult things this year."
Thursday's flurry of upsets in the men's NCAA tourney (including No. 2 seed Kentucky losing to No. 15 St. Peter's) caught the Hoosiers' attention.
"In talking with our players," Moren says, "the message was this is the best time of the year, but it's also a brand new tournament and seeding doesn't matter. You throw that out the window.
"Our sole focus is the one-game mentality, what's ahead of us."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- One-and-done pressure has arrived, a women's national basketball title opportunity looms, and Indiana embraces the moment.
"We're ready to play our hearts out," guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary says.
Last year's program-best Elite Eight finish, and a season rated among the nation's elite, has the No. 3 seeded Hoosiers (22-8) thinking big.
"My hope is we continue to play good basketball," coach Teri Moren says.
Action starts with Saturday's opener against No. 14 seed Charlotte (22-9) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Also in the field are No. 6 seed Kentucky and No. 11 Princeton.
"We had a good practice, watched a lot of film," guard Grace Berger says. "We're rested and ready to go."
With nearly everyone back from that Elite Eight team, and steeled by a rugged, Covid-delayed run through Big Ten play, and then a four-games-in-four-days blitz through the conference tournament, as well as overcoming an injury to standout center Mackenzie Holmes that cost her eight games, IU is prepared as never before.
"Being a veteran team is very helpful," Cardaño-Hillary says. "Getting where we got last year is, as well.
"Then, playing in so many games in not that many days has prepared us to keep our heads down and do what we do."
What the Hoosiers do as well as any team in the country these days is thrive in the postseason.
It starts, Moren says, with a deceptively simple concept.
"We understand the magnitude and importance of every game," she says. "The first game in tournament play is the most important because it can give you momentum.
"Our kids understand that because they've lived it. Our leadership has been incredible.
"We've had to go through some adversity, but it's only made this group stronger and more connected."
Hosting NCAA tourney games is another big step for an Indiana program that has plenty of them during Moren's eight years, including the 2018 WNIT title and seven straight seasons of 21 or more victories.
"There's clearly a home-court advantage," she says. "That's one of the things we're looking forward to.
"We've had a lot of historic moments since we've been here. It's another thing we can add to what we're building, what we've been able to accomplish, understanding our job is far from complete in terms of what we want to do and accomplish."
Hosting also boosts recruiting, Moren adds.
"It's another thing we're able to say in the recruiting process."
IU's run to the Big Ten tourney title game -- it lost to Iowa in the finals -- reinvigorated team confidence after a rough end of the regular season (losses in four of its last five games).
"It was good in the sense that we beat several of the top teams in the country," Berger says. "It proved to ourselves that we belong in the conversation with the top teams in the country, that we can compete with anybody."
Competition on Saturday focuses on Charlotte. It's led by guard Octavia Jett-Wilson (19.1 points) and forward Keke McKinney (8.1 rebounds).
"They have a lot of dynamic guards," Berger says, "so it's good to be a challenge, specifically as guards to guard them. They're athletic. They're quick.
"They have a lot of Power Five transfers, so they've been here before. They're not scared to play us."
Adds Moren: "They're a terrific, guard-oriented team that's going to challenge us off the bounce and in transition.
"We have to be really good on that end, but we also have to take advantage offensively of our size."
Taking the brunt of IU's size will be the 6-1 McKinney, who faces a match up with the 6-3 Holmes.
"Just be physical," McKinney says. "That's going to be the biggest thing for me. Obviously, (Holmes) is a great post player. They have a lot of them. Be physical and trust my teammates to help me."
This 49ers team is built on trust, says 11th year coach Cara Consuegra.
"We've worked hard to get to this moment," she says. "Nothing was handed to us. We had to earn it. We had to win some difficult games, overtime games, close games.
"We're here to compete. We're here to do hard things."
As far as Indiana, Consuegra says, "They know how to play their roles. They're a great team. It's going to be a difficult task, but we've done a lot of difficult things this year."
Thursday's flurry of upsets in the men's NCAA tourney (including No. 2 seed Kentucky losing to No. 15 St. Peter's) caught the Hoosiers' attention.
"In talking with our players," Moren says, "the message was this is the best time of the year, but it's also a brand new tournament and seeding doesn't matter. You throw that out the window.
"Our sole focus is the one-game mentality, what's ahead of us."
Players Mentioned
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