Indiana University Athletics
Despite Second Round Exit, Goals Remain The Same For Indiana Women’s Basketball
3/21/2023 10:57:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - On-court emotion erupted. Mackenzie Holmes couldn't stop it. Harsh NCAA tourney truth was etched on the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall scoreboard -- Miami 70-68 -- and nothing could change it. A record-setting season had ended, national-title hopes were crushed, a final chance to play with Grace Berger was gone, and pain hit a like punch Monday night.
Indiana's All-America forward regained her composure, joined teammates in congratulating the Hurricanes and headed to a stunned locker room, and an emotional post-game press conference no one saw coming.
"It's hard to put into words," she said. "This is my last game with Grace."
A pause. Her eyes were red. Her voice trembled. She thought of Berger, out of eligibility and headed to a professional career, and the four years they'd played together.
"I'm proud to have played with her," Holmes said. "I hate it has to end like this. There's a lot of emotions in our locker room.
Another pause.
"This stings."
Top-seeded IU (28-4) had chances against refuse-to-lose Miami (21-12) in this second-round cliffhanger. Boy, it had chances. Unbeaten at home, with a crowd of 14,000-plus roaring to save a season, a 14-point deficit became 12, then six, then zero.
Win the fourth quarter, win the game. Three times the Hoosiers forged ties, twice on Holmes baskets, once on a Yarden Garzon three-pointer with 6.6 seconds left, but a lead never came.
Miami's Destiny Harden's inside basket won it with 3.3 seconds left.
"I'm disappointed for our players," coach Teri Moren said. "I'm disappointed for Grace This is the last time we will see her on our roster. It stings. It hurts. If you're a competitor and work like these kids work, it should."
IU's season-long national-title quest was over. Ninth-seeded Miami (21-12) advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
"Just keep surviving and dancing," Harden said. "This was big time over a very efficient team."
Physical, fast and furious suited the Hurricanes. They bolted to leads as large as 14 points in the first half, and 12 at halftime.
"Give Miami credit," Moren said. "They got up in us. They made us uncomfortable. They stuck shots and built the lead."
Sometimes you get rocked. Sometimes you get knocked down. And sometimes, if you want to win a championship, you rock back harder, knock down nastier, and make the other team sweat.
The Hoosiers did.
"It was a game of runs," Holmes said. "We dug ourselves a hole. We dug out of it. It came down to the last shot."
Berger and Holmes dictated third-quarter terms, which is what you need from your best players.
Shots Holmes missed in the first half, she made in the second. Offense Miami ran at will in the first two periods smacked into a Cream and Crimson defensive wall.
The result -- Holmes scored 12 points, the Hoosiers scored 19 and the lead was down to one entering the fourth quarter.
"They were coaching themselves," Moren said. "They stayed level headed. They showed composure. We had to guard. We had to get stops. You can't fault the effort."
IU's success this season was fueled in part by strong three-point shooting, a weakness in previous years. On Monday night, that weakness returned with 1-for-8 first-half shooting. The Hoosiers went old school with defense and tenacity to give themselves a second-half chance.
"It took us a while to get comfortable," Moren said. "We fired our way back into it."
And then, with everything on the line, Garzon drilled the three-pointer that tied it at 68-68.
Finally, emotion flared from the usually stoic Garzon. She shouted. Offered a Mona Lisa-like smile.
It was her last smile of the night.
"I'm grateful to be here," she said, "but right now it hurts."
Berger felt that pain. Her standout career ended with 1,841 points and 573 assists, sixth in program history in scoring, second in assists.
"I loved being an Indiana Hoosier," she said. "I loved every second of it.
"I love this university. I love my teammates. I love my coaches. I'm sad it's over, but I'm grateful for the opportunity."
Added Moren: "Grace has helped build this program. We're not sitting here where we are without Grace. She will be one of the very best (to ever play here). I can't wait to see what's next for her. She means so much to all of us."
Berger finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists. Holmes had 22 points and nine rebounds.
Miami, steeled by its rally from a 17-point deficit against Oklahoma State two days earlier, attacked from the start. It hit six of its first 10 shots, grabbed seven rebounds, scored inside and outside, and jumped to a 14-4 lead.
The Hoosiers fought back. Guard Sara Scalia scored. Holmes scored. Forward Lilly Meister came in and scored. Berger hit a layup. IU trailed after the first quarter, 20-12.
The Hurricanes scored the first six points of the second quarter for that 14-point lead. The Hoosiers got to the line and closed to within eight. A Chloe Moore-McNeil three-pointer got IU within 32-27, but Miami surged for a 41-29 halftime lead. Berger's 10 points kept it that close.
Berger scored five straight points to open the third quarter. The crowd roared. Fans waved balloons. Holmes powered in a basket, then scored off a Berger drive and assist, then scored again. The Hoosiers trailed 43-40.
IU missed multiple chances to close that gap. Then Holmes scored four straight points followed. Sydney Parrish delivered a driving layup and a fist pump. Holmes ended the quarter with a layup. The Hoosiers trailed 49-48.
Miami pushed ahead by six. IU pushed back for a 58-58 tie on a Holmes basket with 3:40 left, then tied it again at 60-60 on another Holmes basket. She missed a free throw that would have given the Hoosiers their first lead.
The Hurricanes scored five straight points. Berger hit a pair of free throws for a 65-62 score. The clock ticked under 90 seconds. Garzon hit a three-pointer for a 65-65 tie with 49 seconds left.
Harden made one of two free throws for a one-point Miami lead with 40 seconds left.
Moore-McNeill missed a layup. Berger fouled and Harden missed both free throws with 20.4 seconds left. Berger shot and missed from six feet. Miami rebounded, Haley Cavinder was fouled and made both free throws for a 68-65 lead.
"We'll take that shot from Grace, the layup from Chloe," Moren said. "We could have climbed ahead. We didn't. We'll learn from it."
The Hoosiers had 12.7 seconds left and a chance. Garzon's three-pointer tied it with 6.6 seconds left. They needed a stop, but couldn't stop Harden, who rattled in the game winner.
"They went inside to Harden," Moren said. "We gave her just enough space. Her shot hit every ounce of the rim and went in."
And so a record season highlighted by a Big Ten championship and No. 2 national ranking ended. IU's four losses came by a total of 12 points.
"I'm so proud and grateful for these kids," Moren said. "They gave us their best every day. We'll look back at all the memories we made this season. It hurts now, but it will go down as one of the very best."
Other than Berger, the Hoosiers return all of their key players.
"Their plans were to win a national championship," Moren said. The goals will remain the same -- win another Big Ten title, get to a Final Four. When I look back, I'm very proud."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - On-court emotion erupted. Mackenzie Holmes couldn't stop it. Harsh NCAA tourney truth was etched on the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall scoreboard -- Miami 70-68 -- and nothing could change it. A record-setting season had ended, national-title hopes were crushed, a final chance to play with Grace Berger was gone, and pain hit a like punch Monday night.
Indiana's All-America forward regained her composure, joined teammates in congratulating the Hurricanes and headed to a stunned locker room, and an emotional post-game press conference no one saw coming.
"It's hard to put into words," she said. "This is my last game with Grace."
A pause. Her eyes were red. Her voice trembled. She thought of Berger, out of eligibility and headed to a professional career, and the four years they'd played together.
"I'm proud to have played with her," Holmes said. "I hate it has to end like this. There's a lot of emotions in our locker room.
Another pause.
"This stings."
Top-seeded IU (28-4) had chances against refuse-to-lose Miami (21-12) in this second-round cliffhanger. Boy, it had chances. Unbeaten at home, with a crowd of 14,000-plus roaring to save a season, a 14-point deficit became 12, then six, then zero.
Win the fourth quarter, win the game. Three times the Hoosiers forged ties, twice on Holmes baskets, once on a Yarden Garzon three-pointer with 6.6 seconds left, but a lead never came.
Miami's Destiny Harden's inside basket won it with 3.3 seconds left.
"I'm disappointed for our players," coach Teri Moren said. "I'm disappointed for Grace This is the last time we will see her on our roster. It stings. It hurts. If you're a competitor and work like these kids work, it should."
IU's season-long national-title quest was over. Ninth-seeded Miami (21-12) advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
"Just keep surviving and dancing," Harden said. "This was big time over a very efficient team."
Physical, fast and furious suited the Hurricanes. They bolted to leads as large as 14 points in the first half, and 12 at halftime.
"Give Miami credit," Moren said. "They got up in us. They made us uncomfortable. They stuck shots and built the lead."
Sometimes you get rocked. Sometimes you get knocked down. And sometimes, if you want to win a championship, you rock back harder, knock down nastier, and make the other team sweat.
The Hoosiers did.
"It was a game of runs," Holmes said. "We dug ourselves a hole. We dug out of it. It came down to the last shot."
Berger and Holmes dictated third-quarter terms, which is what you need from your best players.
Shots Holmes missed in the first half, she made in the second. Offense Miami ran at will in the first two periods smacked into a Cream and Crimson defensive wall.
The result -- Holmes scored 12 points, the Hoosiers scored 19 and the lead was down to one entering the fourth quarter.
"They were coaching themselves," Moren said. "They stayed level headed. They showed composure. We had to guard. We had to get stops. You can't fault the effort."
IU's success this season was fueled in part by strong three-point shooting, a weakness in previous years. On Monday night, that weakness returned with 1-for-8 first-half shooting. The Hoosiers went old school with defense and tenacity to give themselves a second-half chance.
"It took us a while to get comfortable," Moren said. "We fired our way back into it."
And then, with everything on the line, Garzon drilled the three-pointer that tied it at 68-68.
Finally, emotion flared from the usually stoic Garzon. She shouted. Offered a Mona Lisa-like smile.
It was her last smile of the night.
"I'm grateful to be here," she said, "but right now it hurts."
Berger felt that pain. Her standout career ended with 1,841 points and 573 assists, sixth in program history in scoring, second in assists.
"I loved being an Indiana Hoosier," she said. "I loved every second of it.
"I love this university. I love my teammates. I love my coaches. I'm sad it's over, but I'm grateful for the opportunity."
Added Moren: "Grace has helped build this program. We're not sitting here where we are without Grace. She will be one of the very best (to ever play here). I can't wait to see what's next for her. She means so much to all of us."
Berger finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists. Holmes had 22 points and nine rebounds.
Miami, steeled by its rally from a 17-point deficit against Oklahoma State two days earlier, attacked from the start. It hit six of its first 10 shots, grabbed seven rebounds, scored inside and outside, and jumped to a 14-4 lead.
The Hoosiers fought back. Guard Sara Scalia scored. Holmes scored. Forward Lilly Meister came in and scored. Berger hit a layup. IU trailed after the first quarter, 20-12.
The Hurricanes scored the first six points of the second quarter for that 14-point lead. The Hoosiers got to the line and closed to within eight. A Chloe Moore-McNeil three-pointer got IU within 32-27, but Miami surged for a 41-29 halftime lead. Berger's 10 points kept it that close.
Berger scored five straight points to open the third quarter. The crowd roared. Fans waved balloons. Holmes powered in a basket, then scored off a Berger drive and assist, then scored again. The Hoosiers trailed 43-40.
IU missed multiple chances to close that gap. Then Holmes scored four straight points followed. Sydney Parrish delivered a driving layup and a fist pump. Holmes ended the quarter with a layup. The Hoosiers trailed 49-48.
Miami pushed ahead by six. IU pushed back for a 58-58 tie on a Holmes basket with 3:40 left, then tied it again at 60-60 on another Holmes basket. She missed a free throw that would have given the Hoosiers their first lead.
The Hurricanes scored five straight points. Berger hit a pair of free throws for a 65-62 score. The clock ticked under 90 seconds. Garzon hit a three-pointer for a 65-65 tie with 49 seconds left.
Harden made one of two free throws for a one-point Miami lead with 40 seconds left.
Moore-McNeill missed a layup. Berger fouled and Harden missed both free throws with 20.4 seconds left. Berger shot and missed from six feet. Miami rebounded, Haley Cavinder was fouled and made both free throws for a 68-65 lead.
"We'll take that shot from Grace, the layup from Chloe," Moren said. "We could have climbed ahead. We didn't. We'll learn from it."
The Hoosiers had 12.7 seconds left and a chance. Garzon's three-pointer tied it with 6.6 seconds left. They needed a stop, but couldn't stop Harden, who rattled in the game winner.
"They went inside to Harden," Moren said. "We gave her just enough space. Her shot hit every ounce of the rim and went in."
And so a record season highlighted by a Big Ten championship and No. 2 national ranking ended. IU's four losses came by a total of 12 points.
"I'm so proud and grateful for these kids," Moren said. "They gave us their best every day. We'll look back at all the memories we made this season. It hurts now, but it will go down as one of the very best."
Other than Berger, the Hoosiers return all of their key players.
"Their plans were to win a national championship," Moren said. The goals will remain the same -- win another Big Ten title, get to a Final Four. When I look back, I'm very proud."
Players Mentioned
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