Indiana University Women’s Basketball is on the eve of a historic moment. Saturday, March 19th, the Hoosiers will share their NCAA Tournament First and potentially Second Round with Hoosier Nation.
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is the location where this veteran team will launch what it hopes will satisfy their pre-season goals. IU fell 7 points shy of claiming the Big Ten Tournament, which was step one of what they set their sights on, however, a Final Four berth and competing for National Championship is the culmination. And anyone that has followed this team knows that the coaching staff will have them prepared.
The program has grown considerably under the direction of Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren, who has accumulated 7 consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins. 2018 saw the Hoosiers claim the NIT Title, 2019 Indiana won their NCAA Tournament First Round match-up, in 2020 there was no postseason, and last year Indiana achieved the Round of Eight where they lost to the eventual runner ups.
But this year, all 5 starters returned, citing unfinished business. That business will begin Saturday at 1:30, as the #11, 3rd seeded Indiana Hoosiers take on the 14th seeded Charlotte 49ers.
Charlotte (22-9), led by Graduate Guard Octavia Jett-Wilson who averages 19 points a game, is on a winning streak, as they claimed the 2022 Conference USA Title. The 49ers have only lost 2 games during the months of February and March.
“You want to go into March playing your best basketball, and I truly believe that’s what we’re doing,” said 49er Head Coach Cara Consuegra.
And even though the game will be played in Bloomington, do not count out a hungry Charlotte team that passes well, shoots well, and holds their opponents to under 60 points per game.
“We know they’re a really talented team,” said IU Senior, All-American Guard Grace Berger. “They have the Conference Player of the Year on their team. They have a lot of really dynamic guards, so it’s going to challenge us specifically as guards to really guard them. They’re athletic, they’re quick – it will be a good challenge for us.”
What to expect . . .
- Expect Indiana to push the ball on offense and attempt to control the pace of the game.
- Expect a strong rotation of Hoosiers in and out of the game, as Mackenzie Homes still has yet to play 3 consecutive minutes since returning from her knee injury, and Coach Moren will likely seek to include Chloe Moore-McNeil by the middle of the first quarter.
- Expect the Hoosiers to be forceful off of the boards, as limiting second chances has been one of the focuses of the team over the past couple of weeks.
- Expect Charlotte to intermittently apply a full-court press in hopes to slow down the tempo.
- Expect Hoosier Nation to be a strong force in the momentum. There could easily be upwards of 14-15,000 in attendance.
Pre-game Pep Rally
Noon at Cook Hall / Tickets include food and cash bar for those 21 and over. The event is family friendly.
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