Sunday afternoon, the #14 Indiana Hoosiers (13-1 / 4-0) traveled to Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-3 / 3-1) in front of a season high audience of 9059. Entering the 2pm tip-off, both teams were unbeaten in conference play, but the Hoosiers would walk away with the 91-69 win to bring their consecutive streak to 12.
From the opening basket, Senior Guard Sydney Parrish was on fire, hitting all four of her quarter shots . . . all four of them from beyond the arc.
The Hoosiers have really been in sync from the gate in their recent games, scaring defenses into whether or not to guard inside or outside against this triple-threat team. Indiana wasn’t able to maintain the quick pace that they enjoy early on, but they were able to walk away from the opening 10 minutes of play with a 20-15 advantage.
The second quarter demonstrated more offensive highlights for IU, with 6 Hoosiers getting in on the first-half scoring. But, the 2 most important aspects of the first 20 minutes were getting Nebraska’s Center and biggest scorer in foul trouble, and the defensive clinic IU Senior Point Guard Chloe Moore-McNeil demonstrated.
All-Big Ten Senior Guard Jaz Shelley, a 3-time Gold Medal Winner in her native Australia who averages 13 points per game for the Huskers, was held scoreless in the first half of play. Moore-McNeil was given the coverage assignment, as she often is matched up against the best shooter of Indiana’s opponents.
“She’s the leader of this group, she’s a fantastic player that can play at all three levels,” said IU Head Coach Teri Moren about her starting Point Guard, Moore-McNeil.
“Chloe is a reliable and dependable defensive player and is always up for the challenge of trying, not trying, having to defend the opposing team’s most dynamic Guard. It’s not often that she doesn’t step up to the bell, and she was terrific. But you know she was also terrific on the offensive end too; so we’re asking her to do two things . . . score the ball for us, to run our offense, and also be the catalyst out there defensively.”
After back-to-back triples by Nebraska mid-way through the 3rd, and IU’s 15-point lead dwindling to 7, Graduate Guard Sara Scalia knocked down a three and then Moore-McNeil stole the ensuing cross-line pass and broke for a lay-up. This action caused the Huskers to call a time out, at which time, Moore-McNeil gathered her teammates, reminding them to stay tough.
“[Moore-McNeil] is a really passionate player . . . she just kind of jumped us,” said Parrish of Moore-McNeil keeping the team in check to remain diligent and not settle in because of a double-digit lead.
The reminder worked, as the Hoosiers soon found themselves in the midst of a 12-0 run, extending their lead to 20 by the end of the third quarter. Many of those late quarter points were All-American Forward Mackenzie Holmes, who found some freedom in the paint with Nebraska’s Center Alexis Markowski sitting on the bench in foul trouble.
Indiana continued to rally in the 4th, as adding to their lead so deep into the game, that Coach Moren sat her starters for the final 4 minutes of play.
Holmes ended the game with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and steals. Parrish had a season high 20 points and added 6 rebounds. Scalia put up 19, pulled down 6, assisted 7 times, and had 2 steals. Moore-McNeil had 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists; and, Sophomore Guard Yarden Garzon contributed with 3 points, 2 boards,and 4 assists.
Collectively, Indiana shot 61% from the field, 61% from beyond the arc, 64% from the free-throw line, grabbed 30 rebounds, and had 22 assists, while turning the ball over 14 times.
Nebraska was led by Markowski with 21 points and 6 rebounds. The Huskers shot 44% from the field and hit 41% of their 3-point attempts.
Next up, Indiana will return to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at 7pm on Wednesday to face Penn State (10-4 / 1-2).