# 15 Indiana Men’s Basketball survives Senior Day with overtime win over Michigan The # 15 Indiana University Men’s Basketball team had to go five extra minutes Sunday Afternoon in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to get the win in overtime over the Michigan Wolverines 75-73 in the final game of the regular season. The Hoosiers finish the regular season with a 21-10 record and 12-8 Conference Record. Going into Sunday seven teams had an 11-8 record. Indiana will get a double bye in this week’s Big Ten Conference Tournament in Chicago. Michigan finishes with an 11-9 record and a 17-14 overall record.
The Hoosiers were led by Trayce Jackson-Davis with 27 points and 9 rebounds, Race Thompson had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds and Jalen Hood-Schifino had 13 points. Miller Kopp finished with 5 points. Indiana shot 28-62 from the field for 45 %, 5-15 from the three-point line for 33 % and 14-21 for 66%. Indiana pulled down 36 Rebounds, dished 11 assists, 10 steals, 4 blocks and committed 10 turnovers.
Michigan was led by seven-footer Hunter Dickinson with 24 Points and 14 Rebounds, Kobe Bufkin had 19 points, Jett Howard finished with 16 points and Dug McDaniel added 10 Points. Michigan was 26-63 form the field for 41% 9-26 from three-point range for 34% and 12-19 from the free throw line 12-19 for 63%. Michigan pulled down 45 Rebounds, 11 assists, 6 blocks, 5 steals and committed 13 turnovers.
Michigan led 3-2 when Jett Howard hit a three pointer. Trayce Jackson-Davis scored back-to-back layups for Indiana and the Hoosiers went on a 7-0 run and went up by 14 points leading 27-13 with 4:32 left in the first half. Michigan was able to make a comeback and trailed 32-30 at halftime. Michigan led 32-29 after halftime after a 5-0 run Indiana was able to tie the game 32-32 with 18:40 left in the second half. Michigan got up 52-40 13:42 left in regulation and led by 12 with 12:26 left. Indiana was able to chip away at the lead when Jackson-Davis scored as the Hoosiers led by 1 66-65 with 3:16 left. Kobe Bukfin hit two free throws to put Michigan up 1 67-66 with 1:46 left. Hunter Dickinson hit a jumper with 1:16 las the Wolverines went up by three 69-66 with 1:15. Jalen Hood Schifino hit a three pointer with 59 seconds left as neither team could hit as the game went to overtime.
The Hoosiers came out in overtime and scored the first 6 points with Race Thompson, Trayce Jackson Davis and Miller Kopp scoring for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers did not score for the final 2:21 of the extra session. Michigan did not score until 1:58 left in overtime with Hunter Dickinson hitting a jumper and Dug McDaniel hitting a free throw with 6 seconds left as the Hoosiers held on for the victory.
After the game the Five Seniors were honored as Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson, Miller Kopp along with walk-on’s Nathan Childress and Michael Shipp all gave speeches along head coach Mike Woodson who address each of the seniors after the game. He first addressed the group as a whole “You have not left me yet. We have a lot of Basketball still left”. Woodson told the parents of Nathan Childress and Michael Shipp “Thank you for putting up with my shit and I will always be here for both of you if ever need anything.” A Student yelled to Coach Woodson “I love you Mike Woodson” and Woodson said, “I love you more”.
IU announced on Friday that Xavier Johnson who has not played since being injured in the December 17 game at Kansas will not return. Johnson, who is a senior, did not participate in Senior Day ceremonies and will apply for a medical redshirt in hopes of returning next season. Johnson played in 11 games averaging 9.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Indiana University Women’s Basketball knocked off by Ohio State in the Big Tournament Semifinals Top seed Indiana gave up a 24-point halftime lead as it feel to 4-seed Ohio State, 79-75, on Saturday in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal inside Target Center in Minneapolis Minnesota. Indiana will wait till Sunday Night to hear their name called for the NCAA Tournament at 8 pm on ESPN with the NCAA Selection Show. The Hoosiers are a projected number 1 seed and will be hosting the first two rounds in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for the second year in a row. Graduate student guard Grace Berger buried a three-point basket and hit a layup to pour in the first five points of the game for the Hoosiers. IU (27-3) went on an 8-0 run midway through the first quarter with buckets from junior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, Yarden Garzon, and freshman forward Lilly Meister to extend IU’s lead to 20-12. The Hoosiers held the Buckeyes scoreless over the final 5:34 of the first period to take a 23-12 advantage into the second quarter. Junior guard Sydney Parrish buried a three-point basket in transition to force Ohio State into its second timeout of the half just a minute into the second quarter. Her shot extended IU’s run out to 16-0 while holding the Buckeyes scoreless for the last 7:40. After finishing a layup through contact, senior guard Sara Scalia converted the free throw and the three-point play to push IU’s lead out to 35-20. IU took a 20-point lead into the break behind 12 first-half points from Scalia and 11 from Berger.
Parrish opened the second half by burying a three-point basket to push IU’s lead out to 49-26. With Ohio State (25-6) on a 6-0 run, Berger took a screen and knocked down a jumper from the free-throw line to break a scoreless drought. IU finished the third period with a pair of Holmes’ free throws to take a 63-53 lead into the fourth quarter. Scalia knocked down a huge three-point basket at the 7:10 in the fourth quarter for IU’s first points of the period. Meister grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds and was fouled. She converted both shots at the line to send the Hoosiers up seven with a 70-63 lead. The Hoosiers were unable to hang on to the lead down the stretch, committing nine turnovers in the final 10 minutes as the Buckeyes pulled within one off IU turnovers with 4:29 to play. Berger got one in the bonus before Ohio State took its first lead since the 9:40 mark of the first quarter. Indiana once again regained the lead on a Holmes bucket inside but free throws in the bonus for OSU pulled the game away.
Indiana Beat 9 seed Michigan State 94-85 Friday Afternoon in the Quarterfinals. The Hoosiers scored 60 second half points after being down 40-34 at halftime. Senior guard Sara Scalia knocked down IU’s first three-point basket of the contest to break a 15-6 start to the game for Michigan State. The Spartans (16-14) held a 24-14 lead following the first quarter with senior forward Mackenize Holmes scoring eight of IU’s 14 points in the opening period. Junior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil drained a big shot from the corner to open the scoring in the second period and bring IU within seven points. After a Spartan three to extend the lead to 33-21, freshman guard Yarden Garzon responded with a layup through contact, converting the three-point play from the line. Back-to-back buckets from Holmes and a deep three-point shot from Scalia brought the Hoosiers (27-2) within five, 36-31. Michigan State took a 40-34 lead into the break after connecting on 8-of-15 baskets from beyond the arc in the first half. Graduate student guard Grace Berger knocked down her first bucket of the game to bring the Hoosiers back within three at 45-42.
A 7-2 run and a three-point basket from Scalia brought IU back on level terms at 49-all for the first time in the entire contest. Garzon buried a three-point basket out of the timeout to make it 52-49, handing IU its first lead since taking a 2-0 lead in the opening seconds of the game. The Hoosiers held a 59-58 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Parrish hit her first bucket of the game with a three-point shot from the left arc to make it 52-48, IU’s largest lead of the game. Scalia buried her fourth three-point basket of the game to put the Hoosiers up 77-67, their first double-digit lead of the game. Moore-McNeil was 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to help IU close out the game.
Bloomington North wins Boys Basketball Sectional Championship The Bloomington North Boys Basketball team beat Center Grove 43-41 in the Class 4A Sectional Championship Game at Center Grove Saturday Night. Bloomington North 18-5 on the season will play Columbus North 17-8 for the Regional Championship Game Saturday Night at Seymour HS at 7pm. It’s the 18th Sectional Title for Bloomington North and second straight as Cougars made it all the way to the semi state before falling to eventual state champion Indianapolis Cathedral. Bloomington North beat Martinsville 84-70 while Center Grove ended Bloomington South’s season 62-39. The Panthers end the year at 16-9 and had appeared in seven straight sectional Championship Games. Center Grove who was ranked fifth finished the season at 22-3.
In Class 3A at Northview HS. South Vermillion ended Edgewood’s Season Friday Night as the Wildcats beat the Mustangs 61-53. Edgewood ends the season 10-15 under 4th year head coach Matt Wadsworth. Indian Creek who beat Northview 60-43 in the other semifinal Friday night beat South Vermillion 52-46 for the Sectional Title. The Braves are 14-8 and will play for the Regional title this Saturday.
In Class 1A at White River Valley HS. Bloomfield dominated Lighthouse Christian 83-45 to win the Sectional Championship. The Cardinals are 34th program in Indiana Boys Basketball to win 200 postseason games and the first team in Class 1A to accomplish that feat. Lighthouse Christian finishes 17-8 under second year Head Coach Jeff Mills. The Lions beat North Central Farmersburg 63-62 in the semifinals to pick up the school’s second all-time post season win in just three seasons of competing in the state tournament. Bloomfield handled Clay City 36-21 in the other semifinal.
Bloomington North takes home first Girls Gymnastics Regional title since 1981 The Bloomington North Girls Gymnastics team won the Franklin Central Regional with a score of 108.625 Friday Night to win the schools 2nd ever regional title and first since 1981. Bloomington North won its 5th Sectional title last week and the first since 1984 when the Cougars won four straight titles from 1981-1984. Columbus North finished second with a score of 107.475 and New Palestine finished third with a score 105.900 to advance to the State Finals in Muncie on Saturday. Bloomington South finished fourth with 103. 300 followed by New Castle with 100.800 and Rushville with 93.675.
Resse Euler of Columbus North won the Vault, Beam, Floor and the All Around while Lilliane Boyd of Martinsville won the Bars. Bloomington South advanced two individuals to the State Meet with Senior Mia Langley and Junior Maddie Kawanishi finshing in the top six of their individual events. Langley finished 6th on the Beam and Kawanishi Finishes 6th on the Floor.
Mackenzie Holmes on 2023 John R Wooden Award Ballott Indiana University senior forward Mackenize Holmes is one of 15 players on the 2023 John R. Wooden Award women’s national ballot, announced by the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Saturday afternoon. The national ballot consists of 15 student-athletes who are candidates for the Wooden Award All-American Team and Wooden Award Trophy as most outstanding college basketball player in the United States. Voting will take place from March 14th to March 21st and voters take into consideration a player’s entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The finalists for the 2023 Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s will be announce on March 29th.
Holmes was recently named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big Ten first team in the annual postseason conference awards. The Gorham, Maine native becomes the program’s first defensive player of the year and is now a two-time All-Big Ten selection in her career. She has also been named to the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award finalist and the first Hoosier to appear on the national ballot. She is also a candidate for a variety of other national player of the year awards including 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy 2023 Wooden Award and 2023 USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year.
She has produced an incredible season so far for the Hoosiers, as she averages a team-high 22.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and is one of the nation’s most accurate shooters by going 69.3 percent from the floor. She is second in the nation and leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage, fourth in field goals made (268), seventh in points per game (22.7) and eighth in points scored (658). Holmes has led the Hoosiers in scoring on 23 occasions this season. She has scored in double figures in all 29 games, scoring 20 points 17 times and has three 30-point scoring efforts this season. Her nine double-doubles leads her teams as six of her double-doubles have occurred in conference play, which ranks eighth all-time in a single season. She led the league in blocks (55) and blocks per game (1.9) and averages 1.1 steals (33) per game. She set a season-high five blocks against Nebraska and Michigan while recording multiple blocks in 14 games. Holmes is now sixth all-time scoring and three points away from the top five (1,863) and second in all-time blocks with 205.
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