Big Ten matches conference record with four women’s basketball teams in NCAA Sweet 16
Indiana, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State advance to second weekend of NCAA Tournament
For the second consecutive year, the Big Ten Conference will be sending a conference-record four women’s basketball programs (Indiana, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State) to the Sweet 16 (regional semifinals) of the NCAA Tournament. This year’s four Sweet 16 participants ties for the most from any conference in the country — prior to 2021, the previous Big Ten record of three Sweet 16 teams had been accomplished four times (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2009).
Indiana (24-8) is making its third trip to the Sweet 16 and second in a row. The Hoosiers are the No. 3 seed in the Bridgeport Region and advanced to this year’s Sweet 16 with wins over Charlotte (85-51) and Princeton (56-55) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, having earned the right to host NCAA first- and second-round games for the first time in program history. Indiana will take on second-seeded UConn in the regional semifinals at 2 p.m. (ET) Saturday live on ESPN and the ESPN app at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Conn.
Maryland (23-8) has booked its 19th NCAA Sweet 16 appearance and 10th under head coach Brenda Frese, as well as its second in as many years. The Terrapins are the No. 4 seed in the Spokane Region and also played host to NCAA first- and second-round games at the XFINITY Center, where they defeated Delaware (102-71) and Florida Gulf Coast (89-65). Maryland will now square off with top-seeded (and defending national champion) Stanford in the Sweet 16 at 9:30 p.m. (ET) Friday on ESPN and the ESPN app at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash.
Michigan (24-6) returns to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year, the first two trips in program history. The Wolverines received the No. 3 seed in the Wichita Region and, like Indiana, made the most of their opportunity to host NCAA first- and second-round games for the first time ever, defeating American (74-39) and Villanova (64-47) at Crisler Center. The Wolverines will face No. 10 seed South Dakota in the Sweet 16 at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday on ESPN2 and the ESPN app at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan.
Big Ten Champion Ohio State (25-6) is back in the Sweet 16 for the 12th time in program history and the first time since 2017. The Buckeyes had to do it the hard way, going on the road to Baton Rouge, La., as the No. 6 seed in the Spokane Region and defeating Missouri State (63-56) and host LSU (79-64) to punch their Sweet 16 ticket. Ohio State next will play No. 2 seed Texas in the regional semifinals at 7 p.m. (ET) Friday on ESPN2 and the ESPN app, also at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash.
The Big Ten sent a total of six teams to this year’s NCAA Tournament, just one shy of the conference record for most bids in a single season (2012, 2015 and 2021). Iowa was the No. 2 seed in the Greensboro Region and defeated Illinois State in the first round, 98-58, before being upset by Creighton, 64-62 in the second round. Both games were played before sold-out crowds (14,382) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, marking the highest combined NCAA first- and second-round attendance figure at a single site since 2005.
Iowa’s twin sellouts, along with Indiana’s total of 9,627 for Monday’s second-round win over Princeton (the third-largest crowd in school history), were part of a remarkable show of support by Big Ten women’s basketball fans during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The four Big Ten schools (Indiana, Iowa, Maryland and Michigan) that hosted games this past weekend drew a combined total of 66,183 fans (8,273 per game), the most from any conference in the country. In the second round alone, the four Big Ten host sites averaged 8,541 fans per game.
Nebraska also earned an NCAA Tournament berth this season as the No. 8 seed in the Wichita Region, its highest seed since 2014. The Huskers dropped a hard-fought 68-55 decision to Gonzaga in the first round in Louisville, Ky., but still finished the season with 24 wins, their highest total since that 2013-14 campaign.
Truck crashes into Whitehall residential home
A Lowes semi-truck and trailer crashed into the home of a Whitehall resident on Tuesday afternoon. The accident occurred on State Road 43, west of Bloomington. Responding authorities believe the incident was caused in part by the inclement weather and slick road conditions. There was a driver and passenger of the truck that were taken to the hospital, although their current condition is unknown. No one was injured from inside the home. Police are still investigating the accident.
Two Bloomington Troopers Promoted to Detective
| Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas G. Carter has announced the promotion of Senior Trooper Allen Deel and Trooper Riley Nungester each to the rank of Detective where they will serve as criminal investigators for the Bloomington District. Detectives Deel and Nungester competed in a promotion process including a written test, oral interview and overall evaluation of work performance. Detective Deel is a native of Morgan County and graduated from Eminence Jr./Sr. High in 2004. After graduation, he began working for the Morgan County Sheriffs Department, Owen County Sheriffs Department, and Mooresville Police Department as a 911/Emergency Dispatcher before being accepted to the 67th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy in 2007. Detective Deel was appointed as a Trooper in July of 2007 and assigned to the Bloomington District where he patrolled Monroe and Owen Counties. In 2008, Detective Deel was awarded the District Trooper of the Year and DUI Trooper of the Year for most DUI arrests within the district. In 2012, Deel was promoted to Corporal serving as District Duty Officer and then re-assigned as K-9 Handler in 2014. Detective Deel has been a member of the District ACES (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team), Field Sobriety Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Field Training Officer, and a member of the district TIP Team (Tactical Intervention Platoon). Detective Deel and his wife, Senior Trooper Julie Deel, are parents of 3 daughters and live in Monroe County. |
| Detective Nungester is a native of Monrovia where he graduated from Monrovia Jr./Sr. High School in 2008. He then attended Indiana State University and graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in legal studies. In May of 2014, Detective Nungester graduated from the 73rd Indiana State Police Recruit Academy. Upon his appointment with the ISP, he was assigned to the Bloomington District where he has served as a Trooper for the past 7 years. Detective Nungester has served as a Field Training Officer and a member of the District ACES. He has also been a part of temporary duty assignments with the Meth Suppression Section, Auto Theft Section, and Field Investigations which will provide valuable experience in his new role as an investigator. Detective Nungester, his wife Breana, and his two sons, Alarik and Jamison reside in Morgan County, Indiana. His father-in-law, Detective Brian Smith retired from ISP in 2021 after 30 years of service. |
In their new positions, Detectives Deel and Nungester will conduct criminal investigations throughout the district that includes managing, investigating, and processing crime scenes as well as interviewing witnesses, suspects and informants. They will also support local police agencies in any capacity necessary with criminal investigations.
This Week in Hoosier History
2012 – Randall T. Shepard retired as Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court. He was the longest-serving Chief Justice in Indiana history. Appointed to the Court in 1985 by Governor Robert D. Orr, Shepard had earlier served as Judge of the Vanderburgh Superior Court in Evansville.
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