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Indiana Women’s Basketball Beats Rutgers in Big Ten Tournament
Indiana Women’s Basketball Beat Rutgers 66-54 in the second round of the Big Ten tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Thursday Afternoon. The Hoosiers are the 5th seed and will face 4th seed Maryland tomorrow at 2pm in the quarterfinals. Indiana is 20-7 overall and keeps their hopes alive for a top 16 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. This was the first meeting between the two teams after the regular season meeting scheduled at Rutgers Last December was postponed and not rescheduled due to COVID-19 concerns.
The Hoosiers led 32-26 at halftime and outscored the Scarlet Knights 34-26 in the 2nd half. Ali Patberg led the Hoosiers with 19 points, Grace Berger added 17, and Mackenzie Holmes scored 11 points. The Hoosiers were without Sophomore Forward Kiandra Browne who had sore hip after reaggravating it against Maryland Last Friday. Arielle Wisne provided 5 minutes off the bench to help in Browne’s absence. Nicole Cardano-Hillary had 9 points along with 5 steals and 2 assists. Aleska Gulbe scored 6 points and Chloe Moore-McNeil added 4 points for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers shot 45% from the field, 6-15 from three-point range for 40%, and 16-21 from 76% from the foul line.
Rutgers end the season at 12-20. Osh Brown had a double-double with 12 rebounds and 10 points. Sayawani Lassiter added 12 points. Lassiter said in the post-game press conference that Nicole Cardano-Hillary “is a gnat and is everywhere, she is a good player”. The Scarlet Knights shot 36% from the field, 2-10 from three-point line for 20% and 6-11 from the free throw line for 54 percent.
Maryland is the 4th seed in tournament, the Terrapins and Hoosiers split the season series with Indiana winning 70-63 in overtime January 2nd in Bloomington which was the Hoosiers first ever win in this series, and Maryland won Last Friday 67-64 in the regular season finale. The Hoosiers will have to contend with Angel Reese who put up a double-double against the Hoosiers in both matchups. Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren likes the matchup with Maryland playing them a week ago. “I think it’s a huge advantage for us, we know we can beat them, doing it in Bloomington, and we feel good on a neutral floor”. Coach Moren Said in Post-Game Press Conference.
Indiana Men’s Basketball faces Purdue in regular season finale
The Indiana Men’s Basketball Team will travel to Purdue tomorrow in the regular season finale at Mackey Arena 2 pm on ESPN2. The Hoosiers are coming off 66-63 loss at home to Rutgers Wednesday Night. Ron Harper Jr hit a 3 with seconds left to beat the Hoosiers. Indiana is 18-11 overall and 9-10 in the Big Ten. Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 19 points, Xavier Johnson 13 points and Race Thompson added 12 points. This will be a homecoming for Rob Phinisee who played at McCutheon High School in Lafayette just 10 minutes from campus. Phinisee scored 20 points and hit the game winning three pointer as the Hoosiers beat Purdue 68-65 in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on January 20.
Purdue is 24-6 overall and 13-6 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers lost to Wisconsin in Madison 70-67 Tuesday Night. Jaden Ivey leads the team in scoring at 17.4 points, Zach Edey averages 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and stands 7-4 and will be tough matchup for the Hoosiers. Trevion Williams is averaging 11.7 and Sasha Stefanovic averages 11.4 points and shoots 40 percent from three-point range.
Boys Sectional Semifinals This Evening with Championships Tomorrow
Its Sectional Semifinal Night for Boys High Basketball in Indiana as 64 sites around state will host doubleheaders starting at 6 pm with game 2 scheduled for 7:30pm.
- In Class 4A at Martinsville Columbus North 16-7 will take on Bloomington North 20-3 followed by East Central 15-7 taking on Bloomington South 18-7 with the winners facing off for the sectional championship 7:30pm tomorrow night.
- In Class 3A at Edgewood Brownstown Central 20-3 takes on the host Mustangs 12-13 followed by Northview 16-9 and Owen Valley 9-12. The Championship game is tomorrow night at 7:30 pm Northview beat West Vigo 65-35 and Owen Valley beat Brown County 66-28 on Wednesday night in the first round.
- In Class 1A at White River Valley Eminence 0-19 takes on Bloomfield 18-6 followed by White River Valley 6-16 taking on North Central Farmersburg 14-8. The Championship Game is Saturday Night at 7:30pm. White River Valley beat Clay City 42-40 and North Central beat Lighthouse Christian 73-37 Wednesday Night. Lighthouse Christian ends the season 15-9. The Sectional winners advance to the Regionals next Saturday.
Indiana Football Wide Receiver Coach Grant Heard leaves for Central Florida
As spring practice gets underway, Indiana is now dealing with another departure from its staff as wide receivers coach Grant Heard will be leaving the program and heading to University of Central Florida. Heard was set to begin his sixth season for Indiana. Heard has a long-standing relationship with Tom Allen as they both worked together at Ole Miss, Arkansas State and Lambuth. Allen brought Heard to Indiana in 2017 after four seasons at Ole Miss.
Heard has long been known as a talented recruiter and also developer at the position. At Indiana, he helped develop players such as Simmie Cobbs, Luke Timian, Nick Westbrook, Whop Philyor, and Ty Fryfogle into All-Big Ten wide receivers. Fryfogle was also named the 2020 Big Ten Receiver of the Year. He also recruited four-star wide receivers Omar Cooper, Jazquez Smith, Jordyn Williams and Rashawn Williams to Indiana.
Before his time at Indiana, Heard also recruited and developed receivers such as Laquon Treadwell, DK Metcalf, AJ Brown and Van Jefferson. Indiana begins spring practice on March 5, making it a difficult timing departure. Heard is the fifth member of the Indiana coaching staff to head elsewhere this offseason, joining offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, defensive coordinator Charlton Warren, defensive line coach Kevin Peoples and running backs coach Deland McCullough.
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