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Mackenzie Holmes returns as Indiana University Women’s Basketball beats Northwestern
Mackenzie Holmes played for the first time since January 5th, as Indiana Women’s Basketball beat Northwestern 69-58 in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Thursday night. Holmes scored 6 points, pulled down 6 rebounds in 24 minutes of action, and was back in the starting lineup. Holmes missed 8 games after having a knee procedure in January. Aleska Gulbe had her 3rd double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Nicole Cardano-Hillary scored 17 points, and Grace Berger added 15 points. The Hoosiers used 7 players with Ali Patberg scoring 4 points and dishing out 6 assists. Kiandra Browne scored all 6 of her points in the first half. Chloe Moore-McNeil played 23 minutes but did not score. Head Coach Teri Moren got her 100th win in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Indiana is 19-4 overall and 11-2 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers are still in first place with 3 games left to play before the Big Ten Tournament.
Northwestern falls to 14-10 and 6-7 in the Big Ten. Veronica Burton scored 20 points to lead the Wildcats. Jillian Brown and Lauryn Satterwhite scored 14 points each, and Courtney Shaw pulled down 10 rebounds. The game was tied 3 times and there were 5 lead changes. Indiana led 32-28 at halftime, then out scored the Wildcats 37-30 in the 2nd half. Indiana was 17-19 at the free throw line for 89% and Northwestern was 2-5 for 40%.
Indiana will host Iowa tomorrow at 4pm in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. This will be the first of two meetings with the Hawkeyes as the team will also meet on Monday night in Iowa City. Iowa is 16-7 overall and 10-4 in the Big Ten. Sophomore Caitlin Clark averages 27.2 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. Monika Czinano averages 20.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. McKenna Warnock averages 11.7 points per game.
Former Indiana University Wide Receiver Damarlo Belcher found dead in vehicle in Fort Wayne
Former Indiana wide receiver Damarlo Belcher was found dead in his vehicle in Fort Wayne on Tuesday, according to the Allen County Coroner’s office. An investigation into the cause and manner of his death is pending. A 2008 graduate of Fort Wayne North Side, Belcher became part of a golden era for IU wide receivers. Both Courtney Roby and James Hardy, himself a Fort Wayne native, had enjoyed record careers in the years preceding Belcher’s arrival in Bloomington. Tandon Doss, Belcher’s classmate, would play just three seasons in college before being drafted into the NFL. It was against that backdrop that Belcher, connecting with two of Indiana’s top-10 all-time passers, became one of the most prolific receivers in program history.
Across 42 career games, Belcher hauled in 189 catches for 2,225 yards and 12 touchdowns. He remains tied for No. 2 all time in program history in career receptions, just two behind Hardy. He’s also seventh all-time in career yards, and in 2010 he grabbed 78 passes, one shy of Hardy’s single-season receptions record. That season also saw Belcher Top the Big Ten in receptions. Big-bodied and athletic, with a background in both football and basketball, Belcher carved out a role as a difficult cover in one of the nation’s best conferences. He possessed good hands and the strength to make catches against tight coverage. Fans saw him as a natural successor to Hardy, who declared for the NFL draft following the 2007 season, and both Kellen Lewis and Ben Chappell found Belcher an appealing target in the passing game.
Belcher’s Indiana career ended prematurely when, in October 2011, first-year coach Kevin Wilson suspended and then days later dismissed Belcher for what was described as a violation of team rules. Belcher later confirmed to two local reporters during his participation in IU’s pro day that the rules violation was related to a failed drug test. After college, Belcher entered the NFL draft but went unselected. Court records show Belcher ran into a series of legal troubles over the past decade, in both his native Fort Wayne and suburban Indianapolis.
Boys Basketball State Tournament Draw Sunday
The Parings for 2022 IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament will be announced Sunday at 5pm, streamed on www.ihsaatv.org, Bob Lovell and Greg Rakestraw will host the show from Indianapolis and the complete bracket will be posted on www.ihsaa.org after the 2-hour show ends at 7pm.
The Sectionals are March 1-5, In Class 4A Bloomington North and Bloomington South will be at Martinsville along with Columbus North, Columbus East and East Central. Edgewood will host the Class 3A Sectional and welcome Brown County, Brownstown Central, Northview, Owen Valley, West Vigo and South Vermillion to Ellettsville. Lighthouse Christian will travel to White River Valley for the Class 1A Sectional along with Bloomfield, Eminence, Clay City, North Central Farmersburg, and Shakamak.
The Regionals are March 12th at Seymour-4A, Greencastle-3A and Martinsville-1A. The Semistates are March 19th at Washington and Seymour for the southern half of the state and the State Finals are March 26th at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Four Monroe County wrestlers competing in State Finals
Bloomington South will have 3 wrestlers and Edgewood 1wrestler when the state finals get underway in Gainbridge Fieldhouse today. Bloomington South’s Cameron Meier got a call up at 106 pounds after Senior Donald Feeler of Crawford County had to pull out. Meier 24-8 and freshman will face Nathan Smith of Southport who is 47-0. At 135 Pounds Freshman Evan Roudebush 26-10 of Bloomington South will face Ohio State bound Jesse Mendez of Crown Point who is 37-0. Junior Cash Turner 32-1 of Edgewood will face Junior Cole Solomey of Kankakee Valley 40-3. At 152 Pounds Junior Delaney Ruhlman 32-1 of Bloomington South will face Senior Austin Brickley of Carrol Fort Wayne 33-1.
Action gets underway at 11 am with the 152–285-pound weight classes followed by 106–145-pound weight classes 7 pm. Tomorrow the quarterfinals begin at 9am with semifinals to follow. Consolations are 4:30 pm and the Championships begin at 7:30pm.
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