Indiana University Men’s Basketball holds off Iowa to snap a four-game losing streak against the Hawkeyes
The Indiana Hoosiers held off the Iowa Hawkeyes 74-68 Tuesday Night in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers snap a four-game losing streak to the Hawkeyes since 2002. Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson gets his first win against Iowa as Head Coach as the Hoosiers lead the all-time series 107-82. The Hoosiers are 13-8 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten and host Penn State on Saturday at Noon. Iowa falls to 12-9 overall and 4-6 in the Big Ten and will host Ohio State on Friday Night. The game featured 7 ties and 6 lead changes as Indiana led for 35:13 and Iowa led for 2:06 with the teams tied for 2:42. In the it was an 8-0 Indiana run in the final 1:26 that sealed the win for the Hoosiers.
Kel’el Ware led the Hoosiers with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks after missing the last two games with a lower body injury. The seven-foot sophomore has eight double-doubles on the season and his return was a big lift for the Hoosiers. Senior and Bloomington South Grad Anthony Leal scored a career high 13 points. Leal finished 3-4 from three-point range including back-to-back three pointers as part of an 11-0 run in the first half that got the crowd into the game. The Hometown hero finished 4-6 from the field, 2-2 free throw line, 7 rebounds, an assist and a block. Leal has not always gotten the playing time that he deserves but when his named is called he is always ready. “It’s really not that hard to stay ready” Leal said after the game. Freshman Mackenize Mgbako finished with 11 points. Coach Mike Woodson has looked for Leal to bring the leadership that has been needed with a team full of newcomers. “ I gave him the game ball after the game, I thought he was huge” Woodson said after the game.
Malik Reneau played 3 minutes and finished with 2 points. The Sophomore from Miami went down at 17:27 mark with injury to his left leg and missed the rest of the game. Reneau came out on crutches and then went back to the locker room. With 2:12 left in the game Xavier Johnson was going for a dunk when he came down on hard on his wrist and was helped to the locker room. Johnson played 32 minutes and scored 9 points. The Hoosiers finished 26-57 from the field for 46%, 8-22 from the field for 36% and 14-22 from free throw line for 63%. The Hoosiers pulled down 45 rebounds, dished out 18 assists, 8 blocks, 3 steals and committed 11 turnovers.
The Hawkeyes were led by 26 points from Payton Sandfort, Indianapolis native Tony Perkins added 22 points and Josh Dix chipped in 10 points. Leading scorer Ben Krikke was held to 2 points. Freshman Owen Freeman had 4 points and 2 rebounds. Brock Harding scored 4 points off the bench. Iowa was 25-63 from the field for 35%, 6-22 from three-point range for 27% and 16-19 from the field for 84%. Iowa had 32 rebounds, 10 assists, 9 steals, 3 blocks and committed only 3 turnovers.
The Hoosiers went up 30-15 with 8:03 left in the first half after an 11-0 run. Payton Sparks had a big-time block as Indiana led 33-19 with 3:47 left before the break. Iowa outscored Indiana 9-6 in the final 3:27 in the first half as the Hoosiers led 39-28 going into the locker room. In the second half Iowa pulled within two 49-47 with 11:03 left in the game. The Hoosiers got sloppy with handling the basketball as Iowa took the lead 54-53 with 7:56 left. Iowa led by two 68-66 on a Payton Sandfort jumper with 1:42 left. Freshman Gabe Cupps gave Indiana the lead on a three pointer with 1:26 left to lead 69-68. Trey Galloway made a free throw with 1:11 to give the Hoosiers a two-point lead. Kel’el Ware had a dunk off Hoosier miss and Anthony Leal sealed the win with two free throws with 12 seconds left. The Hoosiers have been bitten by the injury bug all season with Ware returning tonight this was the first time since the start of the season that the Hoosiers had a healthy team and everyone available but with injuries to Reneau and Johnson time will tell if Indiana is to play shorthanded without two starters.
#10 Indiana University Women’s Basketball looks for their first ever win at Maryland
The #10 Indiana Hoosiers are looking to beat the Maryland Terrapins for the first time in Maryland when they face off at the Xfinity Center in College Park at 7pm this evening and the game will stream on Peacock. Maryland leads the all-time series 12-3 but the Hoosiers have won two in a row and three of the last four meetings. Indiana beat Maryland 68-61 in Bloomington on January 12, 2023. The Hoosiers beat the Terrapins 62-51 on March 4, 2022, in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. The Hoosiers first win in the series came on January 2, 2022, with 70-63 overtime victory in Bloomington. Since 2015 when series began with Maryland became a member of the Big Ten Conference the Terps won 11 in a row against the Hoosiers. Maryland is 6-0 against Indiana in College Park and the last win for Maryland in the series came on February 25, 2022, 65-62.
Indiana is 17-2 overall and 8-1 in the Big Ten and coming off a 100-59 beatdown of Northwestern Sunday Afternoon in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers put six in double figures and eight of the nine scored and was the 15th time in school history the Hoosiers have hit the century mark and third this season. The Hoosiers are without Senior starter Sydney Parrish who is out with a right foot injury. Parrish was on crutches and still in a boot for the Northwestern game. Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren said after the Northwestern game that Parrish remains “game to game” and there is official timeline for her return. Mackenize Holmes is averaging a team leading 20.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Holmes has scored 2,283 points is 82 points away from breaking the all-time school scoring record held by Tyra Buss with 2,364 points from 2014-2018. Holmes has 913 career rebounds and is nine rebounds away from tying Shirley Bryant for fifth place with 924 Bryant played for the Hoosiers from 1992-95. Holmes has 235 career blocks and is 34 blocks behind Quacy Barnes who has 269 from 1995-1998. Holmes continues to set the school record for career field goals made with 235. Holmes said after the game that she aware that she is about to break the schools scoring record because the media reminds her how close she is but she says her focus is to get better as a team and win games.
Sara Scalia is averaging 15.8 points per game, Yarden Garzon is averaging 11.6 points per game and Sydney Parrish is averaging 10.8 points per game. Chloe Moore-McNeil is averaging 9.9 points along with a team leading 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game. The Hoosiers are averaging 80.5 points and committing 13.1 turnovers per game. The Hoosiers shoot 51% from the field, 40 % from downtown and 71% from the free throw line. The Hoosiers have allowed 70 or more points in just four game this season. The Hoosiers got a big boost off their bench with 38 points against Northwestern including career highs from Lilly Meister with 13, 11 from Lenee Beaumont, 7 from Juliana Lamendola and 6 from Henna Sandvik.
Maryland is 12-8 Overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten. The Terrapins have lost two in a row and were blown out at Penn State 112-76 on Sunday afternoon and lost at Michigan 79-77 last Thursday night. Maryland was led Jakia Brown-Turner with 21 points, Bri McDaniel added 12 points and Brinae Alexander scored 10 points. Shyanne Sellers scored 4 points in 9 minutes and went down with a knee injury and it was announced on Monday that she is day to day. Sellers averages 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game along with 0.6 blocks per game and that would be a big loss if she is unable to play against the Hoosiers as she is the team leader in all four categories. Maryland finished 28-64 from the field for 43%, 6-15 from three-point range and 14-19 from the free throw line for 73%.
Bri McDaniel averages 12.7 points and a team leading 1.8 steals per game. Jakia Brown Turner averages 12.2 points per game. Lavander Briggs, Allie Koubek and Brinae Alexander all average 9 points per game. Maryland averages 80.5 points and commits 15.6 per game. Maryland is shooting 45 % from the field, 36% from three-point range and 78% from the free throw line. Despite their struggles this season the Terrapins are 9-1 at home with their only loss coming to Ohio State 84-76 on January 17.
Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren is 416-225 in 21 seasons overall and 217-95 in her 10th season at IU. Maryland Head Coach Brenda Frese is 575-154 in her 22nd season at Maryland and is 632-185 in 25 seasons overall. Frese led Maryland to the 2006 National Championship. She coached 2 years at Ball State from 1999-2001 with a 35-22 record and one season at Minnesota going 22-8 in 2001-02.
Big Ten announces future scheduling formats for Men’s and Women’s Basketball
As part of ongoing preparations for the addition of four new member institutions during the 2024-25 academic year, the Big Ten Conference on Tuesday announced details regarding future regular- and postseason competition structures for men’s and women’s basketball. Beginning next season, both the Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament fields will expand to 15 teams (from 14), a format that maintains the five-day schedule of the event, provides access to all teams in contention for postseason invitations, and will maintain a double bye for each of the top four seeds while seeds 5-9 will receive a single bye. Both the men’s and women’s conference schedules will remain at 20 and 18 contests, respectively, for each school. This allows for non-conference scheduling flexibility, is consistent with peer schedule formats and maximizes opportunities for NCAA postseason berths. Single-play home/away locations will rotate annually, and two-play opponents will be determined with consideration for competitive balance, geography and rivalries.
The 2024 Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments will be hosted at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The women’s event begins on Wednesday, March 6, with the championship game scheduled for Sunday, March 10, and airing on CBS for the first time in its history. The men’s tournament tips off on Wednesday, March 13, with the title being handed out on Sunday, March 17. Fans wishing to purchase all-session tickets within their university’s reserved fan block are encouraged to contact their school’s ticket office. Tickets also are available at the Target Center box office or online at AXS.com.
Indiana University Men’s Soccer adds Louisville Transfer Quinton Elliott
Indiana Men’s Soccer Head Coach Todd Yeagley announced Tuesday the transfer addition of sophomore defender Quinton Elliot from Louisville. Elliot is a mid-year enrollee at Indiana University and is listed on the program’s active roster. He has started classes and is training with the team this spring. Elliot spent two seasons at Louisville, helping the Cardinals reach the NCAA Tournament in both seasons. Over 39 career matches – 38 starts – Elliot scored two goals, provided eight assists and was part of 12 clean sheets. “Quinton is a dynamic wing back who will have an immediate impact,” Yeagley said. “He is an excellent defender who is also effective in the front half with technical and athletic tools.”
One of three Cardinals to start all 21 matches last season, Elliot contributed two goals and six assists and was part of six clean sheets. He had assists in both the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament as Louisville reached the second round of the latter. As a freshman, Elliot appeared in all 18 matches and started 17. The Cardinals kept six clean sheets, and both of Elliot’s two assists that season led to game-winning goals. Elliot was the No. 170-ranked recruit in the 2022 class according to Top Drawer Soccer coming out of the Columbus Crew Academy, where he trained since 2017. During his time in the academy, he made appearances for Columbus Crew SC II in MLS NEXT Pro.
Indiana University Men’s Tennis notches Top 25 Recruiting Class
The 2024 Indiana Men’s Tennis recruiting class earned significant national recognition Monday morning. The Hoosiers’ incoming class was ranked No. 24 out of all NCAA Division I Men’s programs by Tennis Recruiting Network. Indiana’s 2024 class features Karan Raghavendra, Braeden Gelletich, and Matteo Antonescu, three players who will begin competing for IU this fall.
Karan Raghavendra is a highly accomplished player hailing from Dublin, California. The most recent individual rankings have earned him a No. 48 standing from Tennis Recruiting Network. Braeden Gelletich, from Goshen New York, is another strong addition for the Hoosiers. Gelletich sits at a No. 46 national ranking from Tennis Recruiting Network. Matteo Antonescu will join Karan Raghavendra is the other California native in IU’s 2024 recruiting class. Hailing from Mountain View, California, Antonescu has earned a No. 58 ranking from Tennis Recruiting Network.
The combination of Raghavendra, Gelletich, and Antonescu earned 62 points on the Tennis Recruiting Network’s class rating system, giving the No.24 overall recruiting class rank. Indiana had the third-highest rated class of any team in the Big Ten. Illinois and Northwestern were the only conference opponents that had a higher ranking, as their classes were considered No. 20 and No. 21 by TRN.
Indiana Fever Sign Maya Caldwell to a Training Camp Contract
The Indiana Fever announced the team signed guard Maya Caldwell to a training camp contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. Caldwell returned to Indiana in 2023 after being drafted by the Fever in 2021. Caldwell appeared in 30 games and started one game in 2023. She finished tied for third on the team in free throw percentage at 85.7 percent. Caldwell averaged 10.1 minutes and 1.9 points per game in 2023.
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson