Lesson Learned – Hoosiers Finding Form at Right Time
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sometimes, you learn by losing. Sometimes, if you’re the Indiana Hoosiers with huge women’s basketball goals in mind and a new roster with a new style to fine tune, getting knocked down isn’t bad if you get back up, if you find your winning form at just the right time.
Saturday’s 83-52 victory over previously red-hot Wisconsin suggested that time is now.
“We’re 2-0 against Big Ten teams,” forward Sydney Parrish said. “That’s what’s important, especially a dominant win like this.”
Dominance included four double figure scorers (led by forward Lilly Meister’s career-high-tying 20 points), nine players seeing at least 11 minutes of action, and a defense that reduced Wisconsin’s offense to rubble when the game was on the line, highlighted by holding the Badgers and all-conference forward Serah Williams to just six second-quarter points.
Overall, the Hoosiers (10-3 overall) limited Wisconsin (10-3) to 35 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers. Their 11th-straight win over the Badgers, and sixth straight overall, featured relentless physicality, fast tempo and defensive tenacity. It reflected huge growth from early season losses to Harvard, Butler and North Carolina.
“Adversity teaches you a lot of good lessons,” coach Terri Moren said. “We had our share early.
Building a team is never easy, especially when it includes losing All-American center Mackenzie Holmes and All-Big Ten guard Sara Scalia and adding transfers Shay Ciezki and Karoline Striplin to veterans such as Parrish, Meister, Yarden Garzon and Chloe Moore-McNeil.
“When you’re trying to figure out how to play different, and by that I mean without an All-American post player,” Moren said, “it takes time. It’s a process.
“We had newcomers in Shay and Strip having to get used to how we play. You’re mixing in pieces that are new to our program, taking Mack and Sarah out of the mix, and learning how to play different.
“We’re not pushing the ball inside as much as when Mack was here. We have to find other ways to score. It was a matter of time to figure out what that looks like. Some of it is playing fast; some is making sure, when we execute, we get our pieces where we want them and execute at a high level.”
What does high-level execution look like? Against Wisconsin, IU shot 53 percent from the field, 50 percent on three-pointers and had 25 assists against a season-low eight turnovers. The Hoosiers have had 20 or more assists in four straight games, six overall.
“We emphasize getting the ball up the court fast,” Parrish said. “We wanted high assists, low turnovers. If we continue to play like that, continue sharing the ball, we’ll see a lot of success.”
Parrish’s return could be a game changer.
“I’m not surprised she came back and how quickly,” Meister said. “She’s done it before. She’s persistent with that. She’s a great teammate. It’s great to have her back on the court.”
IU’s depth, Parrish added, will be a big postseason factor.
“You have to play games back-to-back,” she said. “It’s keeping everyone conditioned. You know who will play with who. Being comfortable with each other is important. And they’re not just out there taking up minutes. They’re productive.”
As for Saturday’s game, IU’s 21-6 start dwindled to 21-17 uncertainty before a Parrish three-pointer and Meister and Garzon layups restored Hoosier order and a double-digit lead.
A Moore-McNeil three-pointer off a Ciezki assist put Indiana ahead 42-23 at halftime. Garzon’s third three-pointer to end the third quarter left IU with a 66-34 lead Wisconsin couldn’t overcome and a statement for those overlooking the Hoosiers.
“We still have so much room to grow,” Moren said. “Our players feel good about how we’re trending.
“There’s so much basketball ahead of us. So much work to do. It feels good to get back on track with high assists, low turnovers, good shooting and be really disciplined defensively.”
This is exactly what you need to win a Big Ten championship, a huge challenge given the conference has eight ranked teams, led by top-ranked UCLA (12-0), which comes to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall next Saturday.
“They’re really good,” Moren said. “There’s a reason why they’re No. 1. They have a lot of weapons and great depth. We will put together a good plan.”