On the eve of the 2023-24 collegiate basketball season, Hoosier Nation is in overwhelming anticipation to catch their first glimpse of this year’s Hoosiers. Many questions which will begin to be answered at Simon Skojdt Assembly Hall on Wednesday, November 1st, as 9th ranked Indiana squares up against the Timberwolves of Northwood. Tip-off is scheduled for 7pm. Televised on Big 10+.
- With the graduation of All-American Grace Berger, now making waves as a WNBA player for the Indiana Fever, what will the starting 5 look like?
- How will newcomers Sharnecce Currie-Jelks, Lenée Beaumont, and Julianna LaMendola fit into the mix?
- How well will Assistants Amber Smith and Ali Patberg fill the shoes of former Associate Head Coach Glenn Box, who left to lead Miami University as their 10th Head Coach of the program?
Who is Northwood, anyhow?
Founded in 1959, Northwood is a private, accredited, co-educational, independent, not-for-profit college. With about 2,500 combined undergraduate and graduate students, the school is nestled in Midland, Michigan (directly in between the thumb and the fingers of the figurative Michigan mitten), about an hour and a half North of Lansing.
Last season, the Timberwolves accumulated a 14-14 record, placing them in the top third of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. They averaged 70.9 points, 34.5 rebounds, and 15.5 assists per game, while shooting 41.4% from the field, 31.5 from beyond the arc, and 79.6 from the stripe. They are led statistically in most categories by Senior Guard Makenzie Todd, who was a named Second-Team All-GMAC player.
Northwood is coached by Autumn Haggadone, who has posted a 32-24 record in two seasons leading the program. In her first season as head coach, Haggadone led Northwood to an 18-10 record overall and a 12-8 mark in the GLIAC. The Timberwolves registered an eight-game winning streak in the season, the longest at Northwood in 31 years.
Coach Moren
Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren will begin her 10th year directing the Hoosiers and will be looking to build upon the success she has already obtained. Last year, Coach Moren accomplished 28 wins, besting her previous highest total of 24 wins in a season. She also finished the year with her 200th win leading the Hoosiers, and her 399th overall career Head Coaching victory.
What to expect
From the Hoosiers, expect quick transitions. This year’s team is even more athletic than the previous few years. They will look to run the floor with long outlet passes off of defensive rebounds.
Also, the Hoosiers will utilize this exhibition game, and likely some of the other early non-conference games, to experiment with the bench, seeking to find player combinations that click on the court. With a variety of shooting Guards and more height than we have seen in the past, this team will have several options to compete with just about anyone lacing up against them. Getting some of the younger players some minutes will provide the important experience required to fight down the stretch of a brutal BIG 10 schedule.
Look for the Timberwolves to try to work the ball inside, challenging All-American Forward Mackenzie Holmes from the onset, hoping to either have her put up some early fouls, or to open up the mid-range shooting that Northwood is comfortable with.
And expect Hoosier Nation to be out in full force. It will be a loud evening, with a packed Hall for the opportunity to watch the Indiana Hoosiers take the court for the first time, debuting their 2023-24 roster.