In their first match-up in 17 years, #16 Indiana (9-1 / 1-0) played fellow in-state team, the University of Evansville (2-8) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in front of 8,227 during IU Winter Break. With their 109-56 win this evening, Indiana extended their non-conference home winning streak to 16 consecutive games.
With a one-point deficit after a minute and twenty seconds played, IU Graduate Guard Sara Scalia anticipated the Purple Ace pass, intercepting it at the perimeter and sprinted into the lane, she then turned and passed out to the trailing and wide open Senior Guard Sydney Parrish to drain the triple.
Indiana then employed the half-court trap, a defensive look that is atypical for the Hoosiers, slowing down the much smaller UE guards in the transition. This greatly impacted the Evansville ball movement, and the Purple Aces were being solidly defended at the perimeter.
“It’s something that we wanted to have in our in our defensive playbook, something we want to go to after free-throws,” said Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren on the half-court pressure the Hoosiers applied.
“I’m not sure how aggressive we’re gonna be in it, but it certainly can, with our length, we can take advantage of our size and take some time off that clock. And so, instead of being able to start the shot clock at 26, maybe starting at 18 or 17. And that’s really the thought behind it.”
But the first quarter was the Parrish and Yarden Garzon show, combining for 20 of the Hoosiers opening 27 points, as Indiana went to break with a 27-15 lead.
Indiana jumped out to a 6 to nothing run to start the 2nd quarter highlighted by Freshman Lenee Beaumont’s fancy cut through the lane, closing with a hook shot off of a nice spin move in the paint. The cuts would continue to be available for the Hoosiers, as they were successful in losing their defenders and getting open in the lane.
By the midway point, the game was not close, as expected, but the dynamics on the stat sheet were unique. All-American Graduate Forward Mackenzie Holmes had only 7 points, and they all came from the free-throw line. Indiana was successful in getting to the line, but hit just 16-24, for less than 67%. IU was just about as good from the field (62.5%) in the first 20 minutes of play. The Hoosiers headed to the locker room with a 51-28 advantage.
Indiana continued to rout the Purple Aces throughout the second half. Holmes and Garzon would each add 11 in the third, and the Hoosiers outscored Evansville 34-19. Indiana’s stats would add up, and by the final buzzer, 4 Hoosiers would see double digit scoring, including a new career high of 30 for Garzon!
“I felt good tonight, but I didn’t know how many points I had,” said a soft spoken and modest Garzon. “I just tried to play and be aggressive.”
Collectively, Indiana had an amazing offensive game. The Hoosiers shot better than 71% from the field and 56% from beyond the arc. IU put up 109 points with 19 assists; 31 of those points coming from the bench, with Beaumont and Sophomore Forward Lily Meister putting up 9 and 8 respectively.
Defensively, Indiana pulled down 42 rebounds, added 11 steals, and 6 blocks, while holding Evansville to 56 points and just 33% shooting efficiency.
Up next, the Hoosiers will host Bowling Green at 6pm on Friday, December 22nd, for another non-conference match-up.