Indiana University Athletics
‘No Surprise’ - Hoosiers Show Bounce Back Ability Against Iowa
2/23/2024 9:27:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Emotion got the better of Sara Scalia. It was just for a moment, a rarity for a player known for stoic play. A technical foul came with victory assured, a must-win secured against No. 4 Iowa, confirmation that these Indiana Hoosiers, despite a few blemishes, are championship material.
Scalia, a senior guard with a shooting stroke as pure as you'll ever see and a competitive fire that's often overlooked, let emotional loose during Thursday night's 86-69 victory at sold-out Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and teammate Mackenzie Holmes, for one, was pleased.
"I'm okay with that," Holmes said.
Scalia just wanted to have fun and had the game-high 25 points to prove it.
"I love playing with my teammates and this coaching staff," she said. "We put in the work, and tonight it showed. I'm proud of all of us."
The goal was to stay within striking distance of Big Ten-leader Ohio State and its 14-1 conference record.
Mission accomplished. Fourteenth-ranked IU (22-4 overall) is second with a 13-3 record. Iowa is right behind at 12-3, and 23-4.
"We have to build off of this," said Holmes, who added 24 points and nine rebounds. "We weren't perfect, but we know we're capable of this night in and night out."
Forget Monday's upset loss at Illinois. This was a battle between Big Ten heavyweights and this time, the Hoosiers dominated, building double-digit leads against a team that rarely trails, payback for last month's 84-57 loss in Iowa City.
Iowa led for just three minutes, never by more than three points. IU led for 33 minutes and by as much as 18.
"Our guys from the jump got after it defensively," coach Teri Moren said. "We had incredible performances. Sara and Mack were great, but they had help. We had 20 assists. Defensively we were terrific."
Wait. The Hoosiers couldn't forget about the 86-66 loss at Illinois, and it made all the difference.
"That was a disappointing performance," Moren said. "We came back and had a players' meeting, which we often do, and they had one of the best practices of the year. You could see it brewing. They wanted to make this thing right.
"I'm not surprised about their ability to bounce back."
Neither was Iowa coach Lisa Bluder.
"Indiana played a great game. They had a great game plan. We didn't have an answer for Sara Scalia. She was really good."
Buzz came long before tipoff in this highly anticipated matchup. A line of fans stretched past Bart Kaufman Field, almost reaching the bypass, waiting for the gates to open.
Former Hoosier All-Americans Grace Berger and Victor Oladipo showed up to huge roars (Oladipo added to it by firing t-shirts into the crowd during a second-half timeout). Holmes got a bigger roar before the game when she was honored for being the program's all-time career scoring leader.
Guard Chloe Moore-McNeil drew the primary defensive assignment of guarding Caitlin Clark, the nation's leading scorer at 32.8 points, although multiple Hoosiers had their shots.
While they didn't stop her, their physical defense took its toll. Clark finished with 24 points, but made just 8-of-26 shots, including 3-for-16 from three-point range.
"They frustrated Caitlin at times," Bluder said.
Added Clark: "They were being physical. They face guarded me. They threw a lot people at me. They pushed me off my spots. They got me deeper than I wanted to be. It was their physicality, and denying me the ball."
The Hoosiers did that without letting the other Hawkeyes take charge.
"We kept the others quiet," Moren said. "That was the key."
In a game with so many national implications, competitiveness at times turned testy without crossing the line. Clark was fine with it.
"It's a competitive game. I have all the respect for them. I've played against some great Indiana players.
"Every battle is heated. One loss, one win switches the standings. That's how it should be. It should be heated -- because people care so much. That's what makes it so fun."
Hoosier fun started from the opening tip.
Scalia's eight early points, including a pair of three-pointers, boosted IU to a 13-9 lead. Clark countered with nine points as Iowa inched ahead 16-13.
IU ended the first quarter with baskets from Julianna LaMendola and Lexus Bargesser for a 23-22 lead.
A Moore-McNeil steal off a Clark pass led to a Yarden Garzon three-pointer and then a Holmes inside basket for a 28-22 early second quarter lead.
Baskets from Scalia and Holmes pushed the lead to 34-27. IU forced an Iowa shot-clock violation. Scalia capitalized with three free throws for a 10-point advantage. Garzon's 2- and 3-point baskets delivered a 44-33 halftime lead.
Scalia and Holmes combined for 27 points. Clark had 20.
IU's 5-0 run to open the second half forced an Iowa timeout. The lead grew to 18 before the Hawkeyes surged to within 11. Consecutive three-pointers from forward Sydney Parrish, back from injury, ended that run for a 59-42 lead midway through the third quarter.
Nine straight Iowa points cut the lead to eight before Moore-McNeil banked in a three-pointer. The Hoosiers entered the fourth quarter with a 62-54 lead and went on the attack.
Garzon and Holmes twice alternated baskets. IU led 71-56 with six minutes left.
Iowa twice cut the lead to nine. IU twice responded with Holmes baskets off assists from Garzon and Moore-McNeil. The Hoosiers forced a turnover. Scalia drained a three-pointer. Holmes scored again.
A Cream and Crimson victory was clinched, and perhaps more given the NCAA tourney hosting implications.
IU ends the regular season against Northwestern and Maryland, and then comes the Big Ten tourney.
"We had to have this win for our resume," Moren said. "I try not to look too far ahead, but you lose a game like Illinois and our backs are against the wall.
"We have to finish. We still have work cut out, but tonight was a step in the right direction.
"We're capable of a lot, but we have to bring it every night."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Emotion got the better of Sara Scalia. It was just for a moment, a rarity for a player known for stoic play. A technical foul came with victory assured, a must-win secured against No. 4 Iowa, confirmation that these Indiana Hoosiers, despite a few blemishes, are championship material.
Scalia, a senior guard with a shooting stroke as pure as you'll ever see and a competitive fire that's often overlooked, let emotional loose during Thursday night's 86-69 victory at sold-out Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and teammate Mackenzie Holmes, for one, was pleased.
"I'm okay with that," Holmes said.
Scalia just wanted to have fun and had the game-high 25 points to prove it.
"I love playing with my teammates and this coaching staff," she said. "We put in the work, and tonight it showed. I'm proud of all of us."
The goal was to stay within striking distance of Big Ten-leader Ohio State and its 14-1 conference record.
Mission accomplished. Fourteenth-ranked IU (22-4 overall) is second with a 13-3 record. Iowa is right behind at 12-3, and 23-4.
"We have to build off of this," said Holmes, who added 24 points and nine rebounds. "We weren't perfect, but we know we're capable of this night in and night out."
Forget Monday's upset loss at Illinois. This was a battle between Big Ten heavyweights and this time, the Hoosiers dominated, building double-digit leads against a team that rarely trails, payback for last month's 84-57 loss in Iowa City.
Iowa led for just three minutes, never by more than three points. IU led for 33 minutes and by as much as 18.
"Our guys from the jump got after it defensively," coach Teri Moren said. "We had incredible performances. Sara and Mack were great, but they had help. We had 20 assists. Defensively we were terrific."
Wait. The Hoosiers couldn't forget about the 86-66 loss at Illinois, and it made all the difference.
"That was a disappointing performance," Moren said. "We came back and had a players' meeting, which we often do, and they had one of the best practices of the year. You could see it brewing. They wanted to make this thing right.
"I'm not surprised about their ability to bounce back."
Neither was Iowa coach Lisa Bluder.
"Indiana played a great game. They had a great game plan. We didn't have an answer for Sara Scalia. She was really good."
Buzz came long before tipoff in this highly anticipated matchup. A line of fans stretched past Bart Kaufman Field, almost reaching the bypass, waiting for the gates to open.
Former Hoosier All-Americans Grace Berger and Victor Oladipo showed up to huge roars (Oladipo added to it by firing t-shirts into the crowd during a second-half timeout). Holmes got a bigger roar before the game when she was honored for being the program's all-time career scoring leader.
Guard Chloe Moore-McNeil drew the primary defensive assignment of guarding Caitlin Clark, the nation's leading scorer at 32.8 points, although multiple Hoosiers had their shots.
While they didn't stop her, their physical defense took its toll. Clark finished with 24 points, but made just 8-of-26 shots, including 3-for-16 from three-point range.
"They frustrated Caitlin at times," Bluder said.
Added Clark: "They were being physical. They face guarded me. They threw a lot people at me. They pushed me off my spots. They got me deeper than I wanted to be. It was their physicality, and denying me the ball."
The Hoosiers did that without letting the other Hawkeyes take charge.
"We kept the others quiet," Moren said. "That was the key."
In a game with so many national implications, competitiveness at times turned testy without crossing the line. Clark was fine with it.
"It's a competitive game. I have all the respect for them. I've played against some great Indiana players.
"Every battle is heated. One loss, one win switches the standings. That's how it should be. It should be heated -- because people care so much. That's what makes it so fun."
Hoosier fun started from the opening tip.
Scalia's eight early points, including a pair of three-pointers, boosted IU to a 13-9 lead. Clark countered with nine points as Iowa inched ahead 16-13.
IU ended the first quarter with baskets from Julianna LaMendola and Lexus Bargesser for a 23-22 lead.
A Moore-McNeil steal off a Clark pass led to a Yarden Garzon three-pointer and then a Holmes inside basket for a 28-22 early second quarter lead.
Baskets from Scalia and Holmes pushed the lead to 34-27. IU forced an Iowa shot-clock violation. Scalia capitalized with three free throws for a 10-point advantage. Garzon's 2- and 3-point baskets delivered a 44-33 halftime lead.
Scalia and Holmes combined for 27 points. Clark had 20.
IU's 5-0 run to open the second half forced an Iowa timeout. The lead grew to 18 before the Hawkeyes surged to within 11. Consecutive three-pointers from forward Sydney Parrish, back from injury, ended that run for a 59-42 lead midway through the third quarter.
Nine straight Iowa points cut the lead to eight before Moore-McNeil banked in a three-pointer. The Hoosiers entered the fourth quarter with a 62-54 lead and went on the attack.
Garzon and Holmes twice alternated baskets. IU led 71-56 with six minutes left.
Iowa twice cut the lead to nine. IU twice responded with Holmes baskets off assists from Garzon and Moore-McNeil. The Hoosiers forced a turnover. Scalia drained a three-pointer. Holmes scored again.
A Cream and Crimson victory was clinched, and perhaps more given the NCAA tourney hosting implications.
IU ends the regular season against Northwestern and Maryland, and then comes the Big Ten tourney.
"We had to have this win for our resume," Moren said. "I try not to look too far ahead, but you lose a game like Illinois and our backs are against the wall.
"We have to finish. We still have work cut out, but tonight was a step in the right direction.
"We're capable of a lot, but we have to bring it every night."
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