Local Sports News: February 19, 2024

#14 Indiana University Women’s Basketball travels to Illinois for a President’s Day Matinee
The #14 Indiana Hoosiers are on National TV for a 2pm showdown this afternoon with the Illinois Fighting Illini on FOX at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois as part of the network’s President’s Day Women’s Basketball Doubleheader starting at noon at with Creighton at Connecticut. The Hoosiers are 21-3 overall and 12-2 in the Big Ten.  The Hoosiers have won their last three games and are 6-1 with Senior Guard Sydney Parrish who has been sidelined with a foot injury. Parrish is getting closer to a return as she participated in shootaround last week. Her status for this game is still uncertain as the Hoosiers welcome the 4th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes to town on Thursday Night as fans are curious if she will back for that game. Parrish has played in 17 games and was averaging 10.8 points per game.

Indiana is coming off a 68-54 win at Wisconsin last Wednesday Night. Mackenize Holmes scored 24 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. Sara Scalia added 15 points and she now is the season single record holder for most three pointers made in a season with 79 passing Amanda Cahill who had 78 in the 2017-18 season. Scalia’s 79 three pointers made is the fourth best in the country this season. Chloe Moore-McNeil went 4-4 from downtown and had 12 points. The Hoosiers were 24-54 from the field for 44%, 10-20 from three-point range for 50% and 10-16 from free throw line for 62%. The Hoosiers had 26 rebounds, 17 assists, 8 steals, 3 blocks and committed 11 turnovers against Wisconsin.

Mackenize Holmes leads the way for Indiana with 20.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Sara Scalia averages 16.3 points and shoots 44% from beyond the arc. Yarden Garzon averages 11.4 points and shoots a team leading 46% from beyond the arc. Chloe Moore-McNeil averages 10.5 points per game along with a team leading 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game. The Hoosiers average 81 points and commit 13.1 turnovers per game. The Hoosiers are shooting 52 % from the field, 41% from three-point range and 72% from the free throw line. Head Coach Teri Moren is 221-96 in her 10th season at IU and 420-226 in 21 seasons overall.

Illinois is 12-12 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten after 86-71 win at Penn State Last Thursday Night. The Illini were led by Adalia McKenize with 18 points and one five Illini in double-figures. Kokomo Indiana Native Kendall Bostic had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Makira Cook added 16 points, Genesis Bryant scored 13 and Gretchen Dolan added 11 off the bench. Illinois finished 31-57 from the field for 54%, 6-17 from three-point range for 35% and 18-20 from the free throw line for 90%. Illinois had 30 rebounds, 17 assists, 7 steals, no blocks and committed 13 turnovers.

Makira Cook leads the team averaging 14.5 points and 4 assists per game. Genesis Bryant averages 14 points per game, Kendall Bostic averages 12 points along with team leading 10 rebounds per game. Adalia McKenize averages 10.8 points and team leading 1.8 steals per game. Goshen Indiana Native Bryn Shoup-Hill leads the team in blocks with 0.9 per game. Illinois shoots 45% from the field, 31% from three-point range and 78% from the free throw line. Head Coach Shauna Green who is 33-22 in her second season in Champaign and 190-97 in her 7th season overall.

Indiana leads the all-time series 50-30 and will looking to extend their longest winning streak against another Big Ten opponent to 17 games against the Illini. Indiana beat Illinois on December 31, 2023 77-71 to extend the streak to 16 games dating back to 2014. Mackenize Holmes scored 30 points and Chloe Moore-McNeil added 19 points to hold off the Ilini in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Illinois has not won since February 23, 2013 when they beat the Hoosiers in Champaign 73-60.

Indiana University Men’s Basketball and their new Alternate Uniforms come up short in a Home Loss to Northwestern
The Indiana Hoosiers lost to the Northwestern Wildcats 76-72 Sunday Afternoon in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers debuted their new alternate “Fear of God” uniforms from Adidas which they announced Friday Afternoon they were wearing, and they were not well received by Hoosier Nation. Indiana is 14-11 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten as their hopes for a postseason appearance are slipping away. The Hoosiers have lost two in a row and three of the last four as they host Nebraska Wednesday Night in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Northwestern remains the only team that Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson has not beaten in his three seasons as Hoosier head coach dropping to 0-4. The Wildcats have won four in against the Hoosiers for the first time since 1933 and three in a row in Bloomington since 1916. The Hoosiers still lead the series 120-57 and during the game a stat was put out on social media that Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight was 50-3 all time at Indiana against the Wildcats and never lost to Northwestern at home. Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins is 9-8 against the Hoosiers.

Northwestern got 26 points from Ryan Langborg who was 7-15 from the field, 4-7 from three-point range and perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. The Wildcats got double-doubles from Matt Nicholson and Nick Martinelli. Nicholson finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds while Nicholson finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Leading scorer Boo Buie finished with 14 points. Buie came into the game sitting with 2,020 Career Points just 18 away from tying John Shurna played from 2008-12 with 2,038 Career Points. Buie has 2,034 points will go for the record on Thursday Night at home against Michigan as he will need just 5 points to break the Northwestern school scoring record. Northwestern improves to 18-8 overall and 9-6 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats finished the game 23-65 from the field for 36%, 8-23 from three-point range for 34% and 22-28 from the free throw line for 78%. The Wildcats pulled down 38 rebounds, dished out 14 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. Northwestern handled the ball very well committing just three turnovers the entire game. Northwestern had 26 points in the paint, 11 points off turnovers and 1 point of the bench.

Kel’el Ware recorded his 10th double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Freshman Mackenize Mgbako finished with a career high with 20 points and his ninth double-figure game in the last 10 games and his 18th game this season. Malik Reneau fouled out with 8 points and 5 rebounds, Freshman Gabe Cupps scored 8 points and had no turnovers before he fouled out as he started in place of Xavier Johnson who remains out with an elbow injury. Trey Galloway added 7 points along with 12 assists, Anthony Walker, Payton Sparks and CJ Gunn all scored 2 points each and Anthony Leal played but did not score. The Hoosiers finished the game 27-53 from the field for 53%, 6-18 from three-point range for 33%, and 12-21 from the free throw line for 57%. The Hoosiers had 37 rebounds, 19 assists, 5 blocks, 1 steal and committed 11 turnovers. The Hoosiers had 38 points in the paint, 6 bench points and no points off turnovers. Northwestern lead 34-26 at halftime as there was 5 lead changes and 4 ties.

Northwestern led 34-26 at halftime as there was 5 lead changes and 4 ties. The Wildcats led for 34:38 while the Hoosiers led for 1:33 with the game tied for 3:49. Indiana outscored Northwestern 46-42 in the second half but every time the Hoosiers made a charge Northwestern had the answer by hitting their free throws. The Wildcats had 14 offensive rebounds and three turnovers the entire game made the difference in game that was very physical throughout. Head Coach Mike Woodson summed up the game perfectly when being asked the question about what is wrong with the Hoosier offense. “You watched the same game I did; you have got to make shots and we didn’t do that” Woodson said.

Bloomington South takes home the Boys Swimming Sectional Title
Bloomington South won the Columbus North Boys Swimming Sectional with a score of 438 Points and their first sectional title since 2018 on Saturday Afternoon. Bloomington North finished second with 425 points and Edgewood finished 9th with 94 points. The Bloomington Schools win 11 of 12 events with the exception of the 1-meter diving event which went to Columbus East Junior Gavin Day with a score of with 468:80. Bloomington North Senior Teagen Hojem finished 7th with a score of 237.40 and missed out on the chance to advance to Tuesday’s Diving Regional at Jasper as the top four finishers advanced which include the Champion, Sophomore Nicholas Hutchinson of East Central and South Dearborn’s Cameron and Carson Cheek.

Bloomington South won eight events starting with the 200 Yard Medley Relay with a time of 1:34.11, The Panther Junior Class dominated the day as Botond Kund took home the 200 Yard Freestyle with a time of 1:43:71 along with the 500-Yard freestyle with a time of 4:39.70. David Kovacs the 200 Indvidual Medley with a time of 1:58.26 won the 100-yard Backstroke with a time of 48:84. Lukas Pagele finished off the Junior dominance winning the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21:02 and the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 49:01. The Panthers ended the meet by winning the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay Title with a time of 3:07:72. Junior Kian Kadelec will compete in the 500 Yard freestyle after finishing third with a time of 4:48.23 to make the State Finals.

Bloomington North won three titles with Senior Benjamin Dixon winning the 100 Yard Freestyle with a time of 46:41, The 200 Yard Freestyle Relay won with a time of 1:26:77 and Senior Hunter Tang took home the 100 Yard Backstroke with a time of 59.12. The Cougars had six state cuts including Senior Benjamin Buehler in the 200 Yard Freestyle after taking second with a time of 1:43.99 along with Junior James Stewart and Senior Benjamin Dixon in the 50 Yard Freestyle after they finished second and third with times of 21:09 and 21:43. Stewart finished second in the 100 Yard Butterfly with time of 50:24. Buehler finished second in the 100 Yard Freestyle with a time of 47:53 and the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay will advance to State after finishing second with a time of 3:11.53. The State Finals are Friday and Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium on the IUPUI Campus. Swimming Prelims will get underway on Friday at 6pm with Diving Prelims and Semifinals on Saturday Morning at 9am followed by Swimming Consolation and Championship along with Diving Finals at 1 pm.

Bloomington South Junior Wrestler Evan Roudebush finishes fifth at the IHSAA State Finals in Evansville
Bloomington South Junior Evan Roudebush finished 5th in the 165 Pound Bracket beating Terre Haute South Junior Coy Bender 5-0 Saturday Night at the IHSAA State Wrestling Finals at the Ford Center in Evansville. The Panthers finished 33rd in the Team Standings with 12 Points. Friday in the first round Roudebush of Bloomington South Beat James Dozier Roncalli by Pin at the 1:26 mark. In the Quarterfinals Saturday Morning Sophomore Brant Beck of Rochester beat Roudebush by decision 4-3 and he followed with a win over Delta Junior Kaeb Stebbins in the Consolation Semifinals by pinfall at the 4:38 mark. Roudebush finishes the season 43-3 and has 103 wins for his career with career win #100 coming in the Semi State.

In the 157 Pound Bracket Senior Cael Hickok of Bloomington North lost to Adrian Pellot Merrillville by pin at the 5:25 mark in the first round Friday as Hickok finishes 25-6 and the Cougars did not score any team points. Brownsburg won the Team State Championship at the Ford Center in Evansville with a score of 124.5 Points, Center Grove was second with 121.5 Points and Crown Point third with 121 Points. It’s the Second State title for Brownsburg along with 2017.

Indiana University Football receives its third verbal commitment for the 2025 Recuriting Class
Garrett Reese announced his commitment to Indiana Friday night on social media. Reese is the third player to commit to new Indiana coach Curt Cignetti in the class of 2025, joining offensive linemen Matt Marek and Evan Parker. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Reese attends Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park, Ill., where he played both defensive back and wide receiver. Reese helped Nazareth win two IHSA 5A state championships. Reese is considered a three-star recruit by 247Sports, and he’s ranked No. 141 nationwide among athletes and No. 41 in Illinois. 247Sports lists Ola Adams, Indiana’s new defensive backs and safeties coach, as the main recruiter. Indiana offered Reese during his visit on Feb. 4, and he committed about two weeks later. Reese also held offers from Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, California, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Grambling State, Miami (OH) and Toledo.

Anton Webb’s Career Day leads Taylor University Men’s Basketball past Goshen
Anton Webb had a career-day down low as Taylor (10-16, 5-11 CL) defeated Goshen (0-26, 0-16 CL), 67-54, on Saturday afternoon inside Odle Arena. The junior grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds while pouring in 19 points and dishing out a career-best six assists in an all-around spectacular game. The Dayton, Ohio native has carded 14 double-doubles this year and with the 21 boards, surpassed 500 in his two years at TU. Webb is on pace to become the first Trojan to average double-figure rebounds throughout a season in over 50 years as he continues his dominance in the paint.

Coach Josh Andrews praised Webb’s aggressiveness in his postgame presser, while Webb praised his teammates for setting him up for his terrific day. Kaden Fuhrmann also had an efficient 18 points for the Trojans on 11 shots, splashing home a trio of triples while playing almost the entire game. Jackson Ullom was the third and final Trojan in double figures with 15. Ullom was a pest on defense nabbing five steals, one shy of his career-high, and swatting a shot for the seventh time in his time at TU. Taylor came out of the gates with more energy and focus, grabbing an early 20-4 lead with five players contributing to the scoreline and three of them hitting a shot from beyond the arc. The Trojan defense was stifling while the offense found its footing as Goshen was held without a field goal for almost seven minutes at the end of the half. The numbers were terrific for the defense, holding the Maple Leafs to under 27 percent from the field and forcing eight turnovers in the opening half.

Goshen’s offense started to heat up in the second half, but Taylor had a response for every basket, including a breakaway dunk from Fuhrmann early in the period. The Maple Leafs inched closer and cut the lead to single digits with less than eight minutes to play, but Julian Mitchell splashed home a triple off a feed from Webb to push the lead to twelve, and after another bucket from Goshen, five straight points from the Trojans sealed the win. Taylor heads on the road for the final time during the regular season to take on Huntington (18-8, 11-5 CL) on Wednesday, February 17, with tip-off set for 7:30pm.

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