Local Sports Headlines: November 16, 2021

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4th Ranked Indiana Women’s Basketball Host Norfolk State
Less than 48 hours after beating 13th ranked Kentucky by 21 points on Sunday Evening. The 4th ranked Indiana Hoosiers will host Norfolk State at 7pm tonight inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers moved up 4 spots from number 8 to number 4 in Monday’s Associated Press Poll. It is the highest ever ranking for Indiana Women’s Basketball in school history.

Fresh off a 29-point performance against the Wildcats, Mackenzie Holmes was named Big Ten Player of the Week Monday Afternoon. The Gorham, Maine native gets the honor for the 2nd time in her career with the first coming at the end of last year on March 7, 2021. Holmes shot 64 percent from the field, and averaged 20 points per game. Holmes went 2-3 from the arc and 6-6 at the line. Holmes scored 11 points pulled down 8 rebounds, 2 steals and a block at Butler last Wednesday night.  

Indiana is 2-0 on the season and gave coach Teri Moren her 150th career win as Indiana Women’s Basketball Head Coach, Sunday evening. Moren is in her 8th season and is 150-80 and 349-80 overall in 19 seasons. The Hoosiers have had six straight 20-win seasons with 3 NCAA Appearances including the school’s first Elite 8 appearance last season. The Hoosiers have been to the postseason WNIT twice and won the championship in 2018.

Graduate student guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary was also impressive in week one, averaging 20.5 points per game while shooting a combined 83.3 percent from the field and 76.9 from 3-point range, in two games. She also added 6.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game in both of IU’s wins. The Hoosiers have had 4 players in double figures in each of the first two games.

Norfolk State comes to town on a 2-1 start with wins over Chowan and at Campbell. They faced another Big Ten foe on Sunday, falling 86-48 at Number 17 Ohio State. Sophomore Forward Tatiana Jones and Junior Guard Deja Francis lead the way with 11.0 ppg. Senior Guard Camille Downs adds a team-high 8.0 rpg off the bench for the Spartans. As a team, they’re picked to finish third in the MEAC this season. Sunday’s matchup with the Buckeyes marked the first ever meeting against a Big Ten Team. Head Coach Larry Vickers is 79-69 in his 7th season at the school.

Indiana Men’s Soccer Earns Number 15 National Seed in NCAA Tournament
After a 3-0 loss in the Big Ten Tournament Championship at Penn State Sunday Afternoon the Indiana Hoosiers have earned the Number 15 National Seed and first round bye for the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament with the parings announced Monday Afternoon. Indiana will host on Sunday with a time to be announced against the winner of Thursday’s game between Bowling Green and Louisville.

Indiana is the only program to earn a national seed in each of the last eight seasons. IU’s 2021 tournament berth marks its NCAA-record 35th consecutive appearance and 46th overall in program history.
 
Since the NCAA began its current seeding format in 2003, the Hoosiers have earned a top-16 seed in 17 of the 19 tournaments. IU has appeared in 20 College Cups, which leads all Division I teams, and won its eighth national title in 2012.
 
Indiana enters the NCAA Tournament with a 14-5-1 record. The Hoosiers finished No. 3 in the Big Ten with a 5-3-0 record and as the runners-up in the conference tournament. Late in the season, IU shut out seven straight opponents, the second-longest single-season streak in program history. Altogether, the Hoosiers have recorded 12 clean sheets.
 
The regular season was punctuated by a laundry list of awards. Eight IU student-athletes earned a league-best-tying 10 Big Ten postseason awards. Junior Roman Celentano became the first-ever two-time Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, earning the title in back-to-back seasons. His defensive mate redshirt junior Daniel Munie was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the fourth Hoosier to receive the honor in the last five seasons.
 
The tournament will conclude with the NCAA College Cup in Cary, North Carolina, December 10-12, with the semifinal and championship rounds.

Edgewood Girls Basketball Looks to Stay Unbeaten Hosting Bloomfield
Edgewood Girls Basketball is 5-0 and will open the home portion of their schedule tonight when they host the Bloomfield Cardinals at 7 pm at the Mustang Corral in Ellettsville. Edgewood started with a five-game road trip to open the season and the Mustangs passed the test with flying colors. Edgewood beat South Putnam 65-33 Last Friday and beat defending Class 2A State Champion Linton 50-44 Saturday Night. Bloomfield comes in 1-1 with a 45-39 loss at home to Sullivan and 34-31 win at Shoals last Thursday.

Bloomington North is 2-2 after a 67-24 win over Brown County Saturday night at the Cougar Den. The Cougars will travel to Martinsville tonight at 7:30pm. Martinsville is 2-2 with wins over Indian Creek 57-51 and Terre Haute North 74-66. The Artesians lost on the road to Avon 52-15 and Columbus North 66-35.

Bloomington South had a rough start to the season after 0-4 start as the Panthers travel to Bedford North Lawrence to face the 4th ranked Stars at 7:30pm. Bloomington South lost at Columbus East last Thursday 66-25 and at Jeffersonville Saturday afternoon 50-29. Bedford North Lawrence is 3-0 and beat Lawrence County rival Mitchell 68-27. Sophomore Chloe Spreen scored a career high 30 points for Bedford North Lawrence against the Bluejackets Saturday night.

Lighthouse Christian got its first win of the season last Thursday night at home against Dugger Union 59-38. The Lady Lions were to host Irvington Prep Academy last Saturday but that game was postponed. Lighthouse will host Shawe Memorial this Saturday at noon.

Indianapolis Colts Beat Jacksonville Jaguars 23-17
The Indianapolis Colts are 5-5 on the season after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-17 at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday Afternoon.  The Colts are 3-3 at home this season while Jacksonville falls to 2-7 overall and 0-4 on the road

Carson Wentz went 22-34 passing for 180 yards and did not throw a touchdown or an interception. Wentz has thrown for 2,378 yards 17 touchdowns and 3 interceptions this season. Jonathan Taylor had 21 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown. Taylor has rushed for 937 yards 9 touchdowns on 161 carries. Taylor went over 100 yards rushing in a game for the 5th time this season.  Michael Pittman Jr had 5 receptions for 71 yards. Michael Badgley hit 3 field goals. The Colts special teams scored on a 12-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown by EJ Speed.

Trevor Lawrence the number 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Clemson was 16-35 passing for 162 yards and did not throw a touchdown or interception. Lawrence was sacked 3 times and had 5 carries for 33 yards rushing. Jacksonville got rushing touchdowns from Jamal Agnew and James Robinson. Mathew Wright hit a field goal but the Jaguars missed an extra point on their first touchdown of the game but made it with a 2-point conversion to make 20-17 with 10:34 to go in the game.

Michael Badgley hit a 37yard field goal with 2:22 to go to put the game out of reach as the Colts will hit the road for the first time since October 24th when they travel to face the 6-3 Buffalo Bills this Sunday at 1pm on CBS.  

For more local news . . .
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