Indiana University Football slated for Day Three of Big Ten Football Media Days in July
The Big Ten Conference has announced the rotations for its annual Big Ten Football Media Days with Indiana football and first-year head coach Curt Cignetti slated for Thursday, July 25, at the 2024 event inside Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the 2024 Big Ten Football Championship Game. Cignetti enters his first season at the helm of Indiana’s program with a 119-35 (.773) record in 13 overall seasons as a head coach. His stops have included Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2011-16), Elon (2017-18) and the last five at James Madison (2019-23).
Over his five seasons at James Madison, Cignetti helped lead the Dukes program from FCS to FBS. In his final season, JMU reached the top-25 for the first time in its FBS journey and played in the first bowl game in program history. Over those five seasons, Cignetti’s teams posted a 52-9 record and went 31-4 in conference play between the Colonial Athletic Association and the Sun Belt Conference. The Dukes clinched three-consecutive CAA championships and playoff appearances between 2019-21, a berth in the 2019 FCS National Championship Game, and two FCS semifinal appearances (2020, 21). Cignetti became the first coach to lead his team into the Top 25 during a program’s first year of transition from FCS to FBS. In 2023, JMU clinched the school’s first bowl bid, back-to-back Sun Belt East titles, and a Top-25 ranking for six-straight weeks.
The complete rotations are as follows, with a complete list of attendees released by the conference office at a later date. Tuesday, July 23: Illinois, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin Wednesday, July 24: Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State, UCLA, USC Thursday, July 25: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington
Indiana University Women’s Basketball is a Number 3 Seed for the Big Ten Tournament
The Big Ten Conference has announced the full bracket for the 2024 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, which will take place March 6-10 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. All-session tickets are sold out for the 2024 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, marking the first sellout in the history of the 31-year event. More than 109,000 fans are expected to attend over the five days of competition. For more information on events surrounding the tournament, visit the Big Ten Tournament Central (bigten.org/WBBT) and follow Big Ten Women’s Basketball on X (formerly Twitter) (@B1GWBBall) throughout the 2023-24 season.
All 13 games of this year’s Big Ten Tournament will be broadcast live to a national audience, with the opening round being streamed for the first time ever on Peacock. The Big Ten Network (and the FOX Sports App) will broadcast the second round through semifinal games from Thursday to Saturday. The championship game on Sunday, March 10 will tip off at 11 a.m. CT/Noon ET on CBS, the first time the network will carry the title game. Ohio State (25-4, 16-2 Big Ten) is the No. 1 seed for this year’s tournament after clinching its conference-best 16th regular season crown, its first outright title since the 2009-10 season. The Buckeyes have been ranked No. 2 in both national polls for the past three weeks and earned the No. 2 national seed in the final NCAA Committee top-16 reveal on Thursday. Ohio State has won five Big Ten Tournament championships and was the runner-up at last year’s tournament. Ohio State will open Big Ten Tournament play on Friday with a quarterfinal outing at 11:30 a.m. CT live on the Big Ten Network against the winner of the second-round game between No. 8 seed Maryland and No. 9 seed Illinois.
Defending Big Ten Tournament champion Iowa (26-4, 15-3 Big Ten) earned the No. 2 seed in dramatic fashion on Sunday by defeating Ohio State, 93-83, in front of a sellout crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and a national television audience on FOX. The victory broke the tie between the Hawkeyes and Indiana for second place in the Big Ten standings, with Iowa earning the edge based on a better winning percentage against the highest team in the standings (Ohio State – Iowa was 1-1 against the Buckeyes, Indiana was 0-1). Iowa has won five Big Ten Tournament titles, including the last two in 2022 and 2023. The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 6 in both major national polls, while garnering the No. 7 national seed in the NCAA Committee’s reveal. Iowa will open its postseason slate at 5:30 p.m. CT Friday with a quarterfinal game on the Big Ten Network against the winner of the second-round matchup between No. 7 seed Penn State and 10th-seeded Wisconsin.
Indiana (24-4, 15-3 Big Ten) claimed the No. 3 seed for the tournament after tying for second place in the Big Ten standings. The Hoosiers have spent the last month at No. 14 in the Associated Press (AP) poll, rose back to No. 12 in the latest Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)/USA Today poll and were tabbed as the No. 14 national seed in the NCAA Committee’s reveal. Indiana has one Big Ten Tournament title from 2002 and begins its quest for another on Friday night against No. 6 seed Michigan, No. 11 seed Minnesota or No. 14 seed Rutgers in the last quarterfinal on the Big Ten Network, 25 minutes following the completion of Iowa’s quarterfinal. Rounding out the top four seeds is Michigan State (22-7, 12-6 Big Ten) with the last of the tournament’s double-byes into the quarterfinal round. The Spartans, who have been receiving votes in the AP poll for nine weeks this season, are seeking their second tournament crown after winning their first title in 2005. Michigan State will open play on Friday afternoon against No. 5 seed Nebraska, No. 12 seed Purdue or No. 13 seed Northwestern in the quarterfinals, playing on the Big Ten Network 25 minutes after Ohio State’s game has ended.
The 2024 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, March 6 – First Round
Game 1 | #12 Purdue vs. #13 Northwestern | 5:30 p.m. CT | Peacock
Game 2 | #11 Minnesota vs. #14 Rutgers | 25 minutes following Game 1 | Peacock
Thursday, March 7 – Second Round
Game 3 | #8 Maryland vs. #9 Illinois | 11:30 a.m. CT | BTN
Game 4 | #5 Nebraska vs. G1 Winner | 25 minutes following Game 3 | BTN
Game 5 | #7 Penn State vs. #10 Wisconsin | 5:30 p.m. CT | BTN
Game 6 | #6 Michigan vs. G2 Winner | 25 minutes following Game 5 | BTN
Friday, March 8 – Quarterfinals
Game 7 | #1 Ohio State vs. G3 Winner | 11:30 a.m. CT | BTN
Game 8 | #4 Michigan State vs. G4 Winner | 25 minutes following Game 7 | BTN
Game 9 | #2 Iowa vs. G5 Winner | 5:30 p.m. CT | BTN
Game 10 | #3 Indiana vs. G6 Winner | 25 minutes following Game 9 | BTN
Saturday, March 9 – Semifinals
Game 11 | G7 Winner vs. G8 Winner | 1 p.m. CT | BTN
Game 12 | G9 Winner vs. G10 Winner | 25 minutes following Game 11 | BTN
Sunday, March 10 – Championship
Game 13 | G11 Winner vs. G12 Winner | 11 a.m. CT | CBS
NOTES: All times are Central (local to site), approximate and subject to change…BTN games are also available on the FOX Sports app…CBS games are available on Paramount+, CBSSports.com and CBS Sports HQ…for more information, please visit the tournament central at bigten.org/WBBT.
2024 Indiana HS Girls Basketball Junior All-Star Team announced
The 2023-24 Indiana girls high school basketball Junior All-Stars have been selected by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. There is a core group of six players who will play against the Kentucky Juniors (June 2) and the Indiana All-Stars (June 5): Columbia City’s Addi Baxter, Lawrence Central’s Jaylah Lampley, Hamilton Southeastern’s Maya Makalusky, South Bend Washington’s Monique Mitchell, Noblesville’s Meredith Tippner and Warsaw’s Brooke Winchester. The red group — which includes Center Grove’s Lilly Bischoff, Franklin Central’s Lily Graves and Avon’s Aniah Smith — will play the Kentucky Juniors on June 2, while the Blue Group — which includes Lawrence Central’s Laila Abdurraqib, Sheridan’s Kenzie Garner and Brownsburg’s Avery Gordon — will play the Indiana Seniors on June 5. Danville’s Kaley May will coach the Junior All-Stars. She led the Warriors to a 24-4 finish that culminated with a runner-up finish to eventual Class 3A champion Gibson Southern at semistate in the program’s third regional championship since 2017. May will be assisted by Lanesville coach Angie Hinton, who guided the Eagles to a 29-1 finish and their second consecutive Class A state championship.
Core Group: -Addi Baxter, Columbia City: The 5-9 Butler commit averaged 18.1 points for the sectional runner-up Eagles. Among her season highlights was a 31-point outburst vs. Indian Creek and 17 points and nine rebounds vs. Jennings County at the Hall of Fame Classic. Jaylah Lampley, Lawrence Central: The highly touted recruit led Lawrence Central to its first state championship in program history, averaging 18 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals. The 6-2 Lampley shot 45% from the floor and 36% from 3. Maya Makalusky, Hamilton Southeastern: The 6-3 IU commit dominated last season, clocking 26.1 points per game on 50% shooting with a 41% mark from 3 (77-for-188). She also pulled in 5.6 rebounds per game. Monique Mitchell, South Bend Washington: The 5-11 forward built off a strong sophomore campaign, averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks over 24 games for the sectional champion Panthers. Meredith Tippner, Noblesville: The multi-sport standout was good for 16.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg and 3.3 spg for the 4A semifinalist Millers. The 5-10 Tippner shot 44% from the field. Brooke Winchester, Warsaw: The Ball State-bound forward shot 52% from the field with a 37% mark from 3 (41-for-110). Winchester, who stands at 6-0, averaged 15.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2 steals.
Red Group: -Lilly Bischoff, Center Grove: The 5-9 guard averaged career-highs in points (11.1), rebounds (4.9), assists (5.7) and steals (1.9) for the semi state runner-up Trojans. Bischoff shot 56% from the field. Lily Graves, Franklin Central: Graves, a 5-11 guard, logged 11.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the sectional runner-up Flashes. Ellie Richardson, Scottsburg: The 5-8 guard led the Warriors to their first regional championship since 1995, pouring in 17.2 ppg. Richardson scored 32 points (21 in the third quarter) vs. eventual state champion Gibson Southern in the semi state semifinals. Aniah Smith, Avon: The 5-3 Smith shot 42% and set career-highs across the board, averaging 21 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 5.2 steals for the Orioles. Gabby Spink, Gibson Southern: The Class 3A champion Titans’ leading scorer, Spink, a 5-9 guard, averaged 19.3 points on 41% shooting. She also posted 5 rpg, 5.9 apg and 2.2 spg. Leah West, Greensburg: The 6-1 forward averaged 16.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a block over 26 games for the Pirates. West shot 54% from the field and 38% from 3.
Blue Group: -Laila Abdurraqib, Lawrence Central: The 5-7 point guard logged 11.4 points, 4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals for the state champion Bears. Abdurraqib shot 45% from the field, 39% from 3 and 81% at the line. Addie Bowsman, Twin Lakes: A 5-7 guard, Bowsman averaged 21.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.8 steals. She shot 47% from the field, 42% from 3 and 86% at the line. Kenzie Garner, Sheridan: A Ferris State commit, the 6-0 Garner led Sheridan to its first regional championship, averaging 21 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 4.2 steals and 2.2 blocks over 25 games. Avery Gordon, Brownsburg: The nationally ranked Purdue commit logged 22 points, 9.7 rebounds, an assist and 2.1 blocks across 23 games. Gordon is a 6-6 center. Kira Reynolds, South Bend Washington: The third Purdue-bound Reynolds sister, the 6-3 forward averaged a career-high 16.7 points, plus 11.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.3 steals and 6.5 blocks. She’s a career 59% shooter. Vanessa Wimberly, Lake Central: The 5-6 Wimberly enjoyed a breakout season for the 4A runner-up Indians, averaging 9.4 points, 3.7 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.9 rebounds over 29 games. Honorary Selection:-Hadley Crosier, Lanesville: The 5-9 Crosier, who tore her ACL during the Class A state championship game, averaged 15.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals for the two-time defending state champion Eagles.
Taylor University Softball sweeps Indiana University Southeast in New Albany
After two high-scoring affairs over the weekend, the Trojans’ pitching staff was dominant on Monday afternoon, not allowing a single earned run during a doubleheader sweep of RV IU Southeast (6-9). Mackenzie Noah and Mady Foy combined to allow one unearned run across a pair of complete game victories and allowed ten runners to reach base throughout the twin-billing. The dynamic duo issued only two walks while striking out five batters and shut down the Grenadiers offense, who had just put up 15 runs against IU South Bend in a doubleheader a day earlier. TU needed every bit of the excellent pitching as the offense plated only three runs in the doubleheader but came away with a 1-0 win in the opener before securing a 2-1 victory in the finale.
Noah (3-3) had her best stuff in the opener, tossing a complete game shutout to earn her third victory of the season. Noah allowed only two baserunners to reach scoring position, including the first inning, where she forced two weak ground outs after a runner stole second. The Trojan offense struggled to push runners across the plate despite a plethora of opportunities. Madisyn Standridge continued to use her speed, swiping four bases in the game as she reached base in all three of her plate appearances via two singles and a walk. Taylor found the breakthrough in the fourth inning when Jersey Tannehill walked to begin the frame. Maddie Schultz pinch ran and advanced to second on a wild pitch before a sacrifice bunt moved her to third with one out. Delaney Barton delivered the clutch hit with a line drive single to center that drove in Schultz as the lone run of the opener. Noah tossed consecutive one-two-three innings to close the game and close the book on her second shutout of the season in just six starts.
Foy (2-2) came in and did her best to upstage the terrific outing by Noah, allowing only one hit and issuing one walk through the first six innings of scoreless ball. An unearned run in the final frame denied the sophomore a shutout, but Foy made sure there was no drama by inducing a weak ground ball to second to finish the game. The Trojans took an early lead in the second game, with Kaylee Larkin ripping a single down the right field line to plate Aleyah Rastetter, who laced a one-out double. TU put runners in scoring position the next two frames, but timely hitting continued to evade the bats, with the lead staying at one run. Larkin launched her third home run of the campaign and eighth extra-base hit of the year in the top of the sixth to double the lead with a solo shot to left-center field. Larkin’s blast highlighted her great game at the plate, going 3-3 with two RBI and a run, as she continues to lead the Trojan offense in hits (15), RBI (10), doubles (5), and home runs (3) among other categories. Taylor (7-5) continues its tough non-league schedule on the road with a doubleheader against RV Indiana Tech (7-0) on Wednesday with first pitch slated for 2:00 pm.
Indiana State University Men’s Basketball wins the Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Title
Indiana State men’s basketball hoisted the regular season trophy on Sunday, winning the Missouri Valley regular season title outright with an 89-77 win on Sunday against Murray State. The Sycamores finished the regular season 26-5 and 17-3 in the MVC to secure sole possession of first place and will be No. 1 seed for the MVC Tournament this week. Indiana State also broke its own school record in made three-pointers as a team, set last season at 340. With 11 made triples on the day, ISU sits with 341 made threes, a new school record. This record includes postseason play, so the Sycamores will continue to add to this total. Another program record was broken with the win: most MVC regular season wins. Sunday’s win marked No. 17 of the season, and the previous record was 16 set by the 1978-79 team.
Indiana State basketball honored its graduating seniors – Jake Wolfe, Xavier Bledson, Jeremiah Keene and Alex and Staley Cisneroz. Ryan Conwell led the way for the Sycamores, scoring 24 points on 7-for-10 from the floor, including a 6-for-7 effort from beyond the arc. He also tied his career-high with 12 rebounds, also dishing out three assists and swiping one pass. Conwell knocked down all four free throws. Robbie Avila scored 23 points shooting 8-for-10 from the field and was perfect from the charity stripe, 7-for-7. He pulled down four rebounds and recorded four assists. Both Isaiah Swope and Jayson Kent finished with 14 points. Swope shot 4-for-7 and made three triples, and Kent finished 4-for-8 and recorded four rebounds. Julian Larry chipped in eight points, a rebound and four assists. Xavier Bledson chipped in six points.
Bledson kicked off the Senior Day game by draining back-to-back three-pointers. Murray State caught back up with six-straight only for Swope to score six-straight to give ISU a 15-8 lead just inside five minutes into the game. ISU scored its first four baskets from the three ball. The Sycamores took a 10-point lead on a pair of free throws by Kent, but MSU cut the lead to four just before the midpoint of the half, 23-19. After a quick 7-0 run by ISU to get the lead to 32-21, the Sycamores held a steady lead through the first half, with MSU never cutting getting close than eight points. ISU took a 51-39 advantage into the break. Early in the second half, ISU built a 14-point lead, tying the highest of the game so far, with a Conwell triple moving the score to 56-42. The teams exchanged buckets with the Sycamores still holding a 10-point lead at the halfway point of the second half, 66-56. In the final ten minutes of the game, Conwell scored seven of ISU’s nine points from 9:38 to 5:49, allowing the Sycamores to hold an 11-point, 77-66 lead. The final made three-throw of the night for ISU was Conwell triple, which gave the Trees the 11th three-pointer it needed to break the school record in total made threes by the team. That triple was part of a 10-0 run which allowed ISU to grow a 16-point, 87-71 lead with two minutes to play. MSU closed the two minutes with a pair of three-pointers and Larry converted two free throws, leading to the ISU 89-77 victory.
Zionsville HS Girls Basketball Coach Andy Maguire named 2024 Indiana All Stars Head Coach
Andy Maguire has been tabbed to coach the 2023-24 Indiana All-Stars this summer. Now in his second stint as Zionsville coach, Maguire led the Eagles from 1999-2006, then returned to the role prior to the 2010-11 season. He is 189-133 over the past 14 seasons with four sectional titles and a Class 4A state runner-up finish in 2018. The Eagles, whose 2016 sectional title was their first in two decades (improved from 4-16 to 20-4), finished 16-7 last season, marking their fourth consecutive winning season and eighth in nine years. Maguire was an assistant coach for the Indiana Junior All-Star team in 2016 and has coached multiple Indiana All-Stars at Zionsville, including 2023 IndyStar Miss Basketball Laila Hull.
Maguire will be assisted by Greensburg’s Jason Simpson and Fishers’ Lauren Votaw. Simpson led the 3A Pirates to a 21-5 finish and their first sectional championship since 2020. He guided Greensburg to its first state finals in 2018 and is 180-65 in his 11 seasons at the helm. Votaw recently completed her eighth season as Tigers head coach, leading the team to a 17-7 finish. She has won two sectional titles during her tenure, with a 26-3 run in 2023 that culminated with Fishers’ first regional and semistate championships in program history. The Indiana All-Stars will play Kentucky on June 7 (location TBD) and June 8 (Gainbridge Fieldhouse).
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