Indiana University Athletics
Guards Rule – Indiana Backcourt Poised to Lead
3/21/2024 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - March Madness prospects start with this 21st Century basketball reality:
Guards rule.
Deep NCAA tourney runs require good guard play, decisive guard play, guard play that combines strong shooting, fierce defense, great decision-making and run-the-show leadership.
The good news for Indiana as it prepares for NCAA tourney play this weekend:
It's loaded with all of that.
From veterans Chloe Moore-McNeil to Sara Scalia to Yarden Garzon to Sydney Parrish as starters, with Lexus Bargesser, Julianna LaMendola and Lenée Beaumont in reserve, the Hoosiers are well positioned for backcourt and team success.
The 24-5 record and No. 4 NCAA tourney seed reflect that.
"There's no doubt our guard play will have to be special," coach Teri Moren says. "I feel confident in it. It's been great the entire season. Look at our field goal percentage, our three-point percentage. We've had moments when we've played really good basketball."
Scalia has set an IU record for 3-pointers in a season, with 95. She shoots 43.2 percent beyond the arc, and 43.3 percent overall. She's also an 89.4-percent free throw shooter and averages 16.2 points per game.
Garzon leads the Hoosiers in three-point shooting percentage (43.8). She shoots 45.9 percent overall and averages 11.6 points. Her 88 assists and 28 steals rank second on the team.
Moore-McNeil is the do-it-all point guard. She averages 10.1 points while shooting 46.5 percent overall, and 40.2 percent on three-pointers. She leads IU in assists (141) and steals (40) and is second in free-throw percentage (79.0).
Parrish averages 10.2 points while shooting 45.3 percent overall and 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. She also averages 6.0 rebounds.
Bargesser has made major off-the-bench impact with 83 assists, 28 steals and a 4.4-point scoring average. She shoots 49.5 percent from the field.
"This group is really confident, not only in each other, but in the fact that we have great balance," Moren says. "That will prove to be important, as well."
The guards provide a formidable outside complement to All-American forward Mackenzie Holmes, who averages a team-leading 20.0 points and 6.9 rebounds. She shoots a best-in-the-nation 66.7 percent from the field.
Holmes is the program's career scoring leader with 2,476 points. She is 27 rebounds away from 1,000 for her career.
"We feel we have the best 5 man in the country in Mackenzie," Moren says.
"We knew we had to surround her with great guards. We have that with Chloe, Syd, Sara and Yarden, and we can also talk about Beau and Jules and some of the other guards we have off the bench.
"We did that intentionally. With all the attention that Mack draws, we had to find players on the outside that teams would have to guard."
This should give No. 13-seed Fairfield (31-1) plenty to think about for Saturday's opening-round game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. A Hoosier win would put them up against No. 5 Oklahoma (22-9) or No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast (29-4) in Monday's second round.
Beyond that, a possible Sweet Sixteen showdown with top-ranked South Carolina (32-0) in Albany, New York, looms.
The Hoosiers' schedule prepared them for one-and-done pressure. Some tough losses, including to top-10 teams Iowa, Stanford and Ohio State, all on the road, have steeled them for what's ahead.
"It's one thing to fail," Moren says, "and some of the losses have been super disappointing, but there's always a lesson there. We've learned throughout. Some nights are not your night.
"We want to win all of them, but we're not naïve enough to think that we will. Our body of work has proven we're a team that's competitive, that's connected, that's mature and experienced.
"Any time you get to this tournament, it will be hard. There will be challenges no matter who you play. We're prepared. We're excited to have this opportunity."
Opportunity brings practice wisdom to ensure well-rested, healthy players. IU hasn't played since a Big Ten tourney quarterfinal loss to Michigan on March 8.
"I went shorter this week in practice," Moren says. "We still have to stay competitive, stay on the edge of our seat. When it was short, it was more intense. Whether it was three on three or four on four, it was competitive.
"We still lift weights and watch film, but the time on floor, we'll manage that."
Management has gone well, Moore-McNeil adds.
"The coaches have done a great job of keeping in mind of our injuries and saving us as much as they can. Being on the court practicing this week has been fun with relaxed vibes before things get real."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - March Madness prospects start with this 21st Century basketball reality:
Guards rule.
Deep NCAA tourney runs require good guard play, decisive guard play, guard play that combines strong shooting, fierce defense, great decision-making and run-the-show leadership.
The good news for Indiana as it prepares for NCAA tourney play this weekend:
It's loaded with all of that.
From veterans Chloe Moore-McNeil to Sara Scalia to Yarden Garzon to Sydney Parrish as starters, with Lexus Bargesser, Julianna LaMendola and Lenée Beaumont in reserve, the Hoosiers are well positioned for backcourt and team success.
The 24-5 record and No. 4 NCAA tourney seed reflect that.
"There's no doubt our guard play will have to be special," coach Teri Moren says. "I feel confident in it. It's been great the entire season. Look at our field goal percentage, our three-point percentage. We've had moments when we've played really good basketball."
Scalia has set an IU record for 3-pointers in a season, with 95. She shoots 43.2 percent beyond the arc, and 43.3 percent overall. She's also an 89.4-percent free throw shooter and averages 16.2 points per game.
Garzon leads the Hoosiers in three-point shooting percentage (43.8). She shoots 45.9 percent overall and averages 11.6 points. Her 88 assists and 28 steals rank second on the team.
Moore-McNeil is the do-it-all point guard. She averages 10.1 points while shooting 46.5 percent overall, and 40.2 percent on three-pointers. She leads IU in assists (141) and steals (40) and is second in free-throw percentage (79.0).
Parrish averages 10.2 points while shooting 45.3 percent overall and 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. She also averages 6.0 rebounds.
Bargesser has made major off-the-bench impact with 83 assists, 28 steals and a 4.4-point scoring average. She shoots 49.5 percent from the field.
"This group is really confident, not only in each other, but in the fact that we have great balance," Moren says. "That will prove to be important, as well."
The guards provide a formidable outside complement to All-American forward Mackenzie Holmes, who averages a team-leading 20.0 points and 6.9 rebounds. She shoots a best-in-the-nation 66.7 percent from the field.
Holmes is the program's career scoring leader with 2,476 points. She is 27 rebounds away from 1,000 for her career.
"We feel we have the best 5 man in the country in Mackenzie," Moren says.
"We knew we had to surround her with great guards. We have that with Chloe, Syd, Sara and Yarden, and we can also talk about Beau and Jules and some of the other guards we have off the bench.
"We did that intentionally. With all the attention that Mack draws, we had to find players on the outside that teams would have to guard."
This should give No. 13-seed Fairfield (31-1) plenty to think about for Saturday's opening-round game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. A Hoosier win would put them up against No. 5 Oklahoma (22-9) or No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast (29-4) in Monday's second round.
Beyond that, a possible Sweet Sixteen showdown with top-ranked South Carolina (32-0) in Albany, New York, looms.
The Hoosiers' schedule prepared them for one-and-done pressure. Some tough losses, including to top-10 teams Iowa, Stanford and Ohio State, all on the road, have steeled them for what's ahead.
"It's one thing to fail," Moren says, "and some of the losses have been super disappointing, but there's always a lesson there. We've learned throughout. Some nights are not your night.
"We want to win all of them, but we're not naïve enough to think that we will. Our body of work has proven we're a team that's competitive, that's connected, that's mature and experienced.
"Any time you get to this tournament, it will be hard. There will be challenges no matter who you play. We're prepared. We're excited to have this opportunity."
Opportunity brings practice wisdom to ensure well-rested, healthy players. IU hasn't played since a Big Ten tourney quarterfinal loss to Michigan on March 8.
"I went shorter this week in practice," Moren says. "We still have to stay competitive, stay on the edge of our seat. When it was short, it was more intense. Whether it was three on three or four on four, it was competitive.
"We still lift weights and watch film, but the time on floor, we'll manage that."
Management has gone well, Moore-McNeil adds.
"The coaches have done a great job of keeping in mind of our injuries and saving us as much as they can. Being on the court practicing this week has been fun with relaxed vibes before things get real."
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