#12 Indiana University Women’s Basketball opens the Big Ten Tournament This Evening in Minneapolis
No. 12 Indiana will open up 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament action as it faces the winner of Michigan tonight in the quarterfinals at approximately 9pm on the Big Ten Network as Michigan beat Minnesota 76-57 in the second round Thursday Night. All-time in the Big Ten Tournament, Indiana holds a 23-30 record with one tournament championship in 2002. It advanced to the semifinals in 2023 and had their last championship game appearance in 2022. This will be the first time that Indiana will be the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Four players were honored on All-Big Ten teams in the league’s annual postseason honors on Tuesday. Graduate student forward Mackenize Holmes and senior guard Sara Scalia each earned places on the league’s first team while senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil was on the second team and sophomore guard Yarden Garzon was an honorable mention. Holmes and Moore-McNeil also made the league’s All-Defensive team for the second-consecutive year.
The Hoosiers closed out the regular season with a win at home over Maryland, 71-54, on Sunday. With the win, they completed back-to-back undefeated regular seasons at home posting 15-0 records in both 2022-23 and 2023-24. All five starters were in double figures in the win over the Terps, led by Scalia’s 19 points. It also marked the first time the Hoosiers have swept the season series between the two schools. IU currently owns the nation’s best shooting percentages, from the floor (51.6 percent) and 3-point line (40.5 percent). They have shot 50 percent or better from the floor on 15 occasions, shooting 60 percent or better four times this season. From the arc, IU has hit 10 or more 3-pointers in 11 times this season and has knocked down 233 3-pointers, which is fourth in a single season. The current record stands at 259 (2013-14). The winner of tonight’s game faces the winner of #2 Iowa and #7 Penn State on Saturday in the semifinal at 4 p.m. ET (approx.) on the Big Ten Network.
Indiana University Men’s Basketball Extends Its winning streak to three in a row with a win at Minnesota
The Indiana Hoosiers beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers 70-58 Wednesday Night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The Hoosiers have won three straight and improve to 17-13 overall and 9-10 in the Big Ten with one more regular season game left which will be Sunday afternoon when they host Michigan State at 4:30pm. Minnesota drops to 18-12 overall and 9-10 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers sweep Minnesota this season and have won 8 in a row dating back to 2020 and lead the all-time series 109-69.
The Hoosiers got 26 points and 11 rebounds from Kel’el Ware for his 13th double-double of the season. Trey Galloway scored 13 points and dished out 11 assists for his first double-double of the season. Mackenize Mgbako added 15 points, Malik Reneau scored 8 points, Anthony Walker scored 6 points and Xavier Johnson added two points. The Hoosiers were 30-55 from the field for 54%, 5-8 from three-point range for 62% and 5-7 from the free throw line for 71%. Indiana pulled down 26 rebounds, dished out 28 assists on 30 made baskets, 12 steals, 5 blocks and committed 14 turnovers.
Minnesota missed out on a golden opportunity for an NCAA Tournament bid with this loss. Parker Fox scored 14 points off the bench to lead the Golden Gophers. Mike Mitchell Jr scored 13 points and Dawson Garcia added 12 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Minnesota was 22-57 from the field for 38%, 5-26 from three-point range for 26% and 9-14 from the free throw line for 63%. The Golden Gophers pulled down 36 rebounds, 12 assists, 11 steals, 3 blocks and committed 18 turnovers.
Indiana jumped out to 8-0 lead before the Gophers scored the next six points. Minnesota took its first lead with 13:08 left in the first half on a Mike Mitchell Jr. layup to make it 13-12. The Golden Gophers extended the lead to 15-12 on a Parker Fox layup at the 12:57 mark. Minnesota would hold on to lead until the 5:59 mark when Mackenize Mgbako scored to make it 24-23 Hoosiers to start a 6-0 run as the Hoosiers went to the locker room up 30-25.
In the Second Half Indiana never trailed and extended the lead to double digits with 13:27 left making it 31-20. Minnesota cut the lead to nine points at the 12:56 mark 41-32. Mackenize Mgbako drilled back-to-back three pointers to give the Hoosiers a 15-point lead 47-32 with 11:40 left in the game. Indiana led 59-40 with 6:40 left and put the game out of reach. Indiana outscored Minnesota 40-33. The Hoosiers can finish the Big Ten at .500 and still have a chance at the NCAA Tournament given a strong run in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. Michigan State beat Northwestern 53-49 Wednesday Night in East Lansing will come in 18-12 overall and 10-9 in the Big Ten.
The Hoosiers are putting their best basketball together in what has been an up and down season. Indiana is showing a better inside presence and not settling for outside shots along with sharing the basketball. Indiana will be in a postseason tournament but it all depends on if they can keep this winning streak going heading into the Big Ten Tournament.
Big Ten Conference Announces Baseball Televison Schedule
The Indiana Baseball team will be featured three times on national television during the regular season as part of the Big Ten Network’s linear schedule release on Wednesday. IU’s Sunday home contest against Rutgers (April 28th) will be featured on the Big Ten Network followed by a pair of weekend contests at Nebraska two weeks later (May 11th and 12th). The final weekend of conference play (May 16th-18th) has been designated for Wild Card selections based on potential championship and tournament implications. The Hoosiers host Michigan and former head coach Tracy Smith on the final weekend of the regular season. The Big Ten Tournament, hosted in Omaha, Neb., will be broadcasted in its entirety on the Big Ten Network beginning with the opening contest on May 21st. The remainder of IU’s remaining regular season conference games can be found on BTN+.
Indiana University Men’s Basketball Head coach Mike Woodson to return for the 2024-25 Season
According to Zach Osterman of The Indianapolis Star, Mike Woodson will return for the 2024-25 season as Indiana’s coach. College basketball insider Jon Rothstein also reported the news of Woodson returning for a fourth season. The Hoosiers, who are 16-13 overall and 8-10 in the Big Ten, play tonight at Minnesota. Woodson is 29-29 overall in conference games in his IU tenure and made the NCAA tournament in each of his first two seasons.
IU’s third-year head coach recently told reporters that he planned to return to Bloomington next season. “I came back to try to put this team in the best position possible,” Woodson said on February 20. “I’m going to continue to do that. I’m almost 66 but I feel good and I still move around and I think that I still think well in terms of the game and I still think I can teach the game. I don’t know, there are coaches that are coaching into their 70s. I don’t know if that’s something I’ll do, I don’t know. But at this point, I’ll take it a day at a time, a year at a time. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon guys. I’m just not. So, I’m going to continue to build this team and try to put this team in the best position possible and see where it leads us.” Following his first two seasons as IU’s head coach, Woodson’s salary was raised by $1 million in August, bringing his annual compensation to $4.2 million.
Indiana University Baseball beats Northern Kentucky
Freshman Outfielder Andrew Wiggins and redshirt junior catcher Jake Stadler each recorded the first career home runs of their Hoosier careers, launching two-run long balls in the third and fifth innings respectively to help lead the Indiana Baseball team (8-4) to a 11-5 win on Wednesday night against Northern Kentucky. Junior first baseman Brock Tibbitts totaled four of IU’s 13 hits on the night, the seventh four-hit game of his stellar career in Bloomington. Sophomore shortstop Tyler Cerny added a pair of hits, and three RBIs as IU’s offense found a groove in the early part of the ballgame. Sophomore pitcher Ethan Phillips (W, 1-0) made his second start in four days, earning the win for 1.2 innings of work as part of a staff day for the IU rotation. Julian Tonghini (SV, 2) bounced back in a big way, earning the save after throwing 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball to see out the Tuesday contest. The Hoosiers will play their first home series of the season this weekend as Troy makes the trip to Bloomington. The teams will play on Saturday at 2pm and Doubleheader on Sunday starting at 11am.
Single Session Tickets for the 2024 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament go on sale Monday
Single-session tickets for the 2024 TIAA Big Ten Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament will go on sale to the general public at 1 p.m. (ET)/12 noon (CT) on Monday, March 11. The Target Center in Minneapolis will play host to the tournament March 13-17, marking the first time in the tournament’s 27-year history that it will be played in Minneapolis. The Target Center is home to the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Single session tickets for the 2024 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will be available for $35-165 each, depending on the session and ticket location. Single session tickets are available for purchase at the Target Center box office or online at AXS.com. All ticket purchases are subject to AXS and facility fees. All seating for Session 1 on Wednesday, March 13 is general admission. All other days/sessions are reserved seating.
Select reserved sections are located directly behind the team benches for each participating team during its specific game or games at the tournament. Fans wishing to purchase all-session tickets within their university’s fan block for their respective team’s games are encouraged to contact their school’s ticket office.
The 2024 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament continues to feature a discounted student ticket program. For the 2024 event, students of Big Ten universities may purchase tickets for $25, good for only the session or sessions featuring their school. Student section seating is available in the 200 level and orders are limited to one ticket per student. Details on the discounted student ticket program have been sent to the university ticket offices for distribution directly to students.
Tickets will also be available through TicketSmarter: The Official Secondary Ticket Resale Marketplace of the Big Ten Conference. In addition, suites and premium seating are available for purchase at the Target Center. For information on all-inclusive premium offerings, please contact groupsales@mnsportsandevents.org at Minnesota Sports and Events. Fans looking to elevate their experience with VIP Ticket Packages or large group hospitality can book directly with REVELxp by visiting revelxp.com/big-ten-mbb-tournament or contacting sales at 317-207-5360 or BigTen@revelxp.com. Fans are also encouraged to visit the official Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament web site (bigten.org/MBBT) and follow Big Ten Men’s Basketball on X (formerly Twitter) (@B1GMBBall).
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