{"id":9395,"date":"2024-03-18T03:44:53","date_gmt":"2024-03-18T03:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=9395"},"modified":"2024-03-20T18:19:04","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T18:19:04","slug":"indiana-squeaks-in-with-very-final-spot-to-host-ncaa-tournament-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=9395","title":{"rendered":"Indiana squeaks in with very final spot to host NCAA Tournament games"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Indiana University Women’s Basketball Team and Staff celebrates as they hear of their 2024 NCAA Tournament Seeding<\/sup><\/em>
(photo courtesy of IU Athletics)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

South Carolina is the Overall #1 in this year\u2019s NCAA Bracket, making it a 4th straight year as a #1 Seed. They will defend the Albany #1 Region, which includes the 16th<\/sup> overall seed and #4 in that same region, the Indiana Hoosiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt we have our work cut out for us,\u201d said Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren, moments after the Sunday evening Tournament Selection Show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coach Moren went on to describe the team\u2019s practice schedule since their earlier than desired departure from the Big Ten Tournament last Friday evening, after an upset loss to Michigan. \u201cIt was a great week for us to rest a lot,\u201d Coach mentioned as she discussed the team shortening their workout schedule over the past several days to allow the team to recoup after a few extremely physical weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She followed with, \u201cNow it\u2019s \u2018Go-Time\u2019 for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And \u2018Go-Time’ it is, as the team learned of their first-round competitors. The Hoosiers will be matched up against #13 Seed Fairfield University in round one of the NCAA Tournament. Because the Hoosiers are a #4 Seed, they have the opportunity to host the first 2 rounds of the tournament at their home facility, as all #1 through #4 Seeds do in the Women\u2019s Bracket of the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hoosiers will play at 1:30pm on Saturday, March 23rd<\/sup> at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo excited to stay home and play in front of Hoosier Nation,\u201d added Coach Moren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, who is Fairfield?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fairfield Stags out of Fairfield, Connecticut are a private university with a combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment of a little more than 5,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Stags have had an incredible season this year, compiling a 31-1 season record and winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament after a 70-62 overtime victory over Niagara in the Championship Game, coming back from a 13-point second half deficit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

31 wins is the second-most victories of any MAAC team in history.  They won all 23 conference games and are boasting the second longest winning streak in the nation, with 29 in a row.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fairfield is led by their Freshman Forward sensation, Meghan Anderson. Anderson has averaged 15.2 ppg, 5.3 rebounds, and shot nearly 52% from the field (55th<\/sup> in the nation). There are 3 additional players who average double digit scoring, including Senior Guard Janelle Brown, with 13.6 ppg and ranks 23rd<\/sup> in the nation with just shy of 58% from the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a team, the Stags average over 73 points per game, shoot 46% from the field, and have 33% success beyond the arc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fairfield Head Coach is no stranger to Indiana or Big Ten basketball. In her second year is Carly Thibault-DuDonis, the former Associate Coach of Minnesota. In her first season with the Stags, she led the team to a top-5 finish in the conference, receiving a bye into the MAAC Championship Quarterfinals with an 11-9 conference mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She comes from some serious basketball pedigree, her father, Mike Thibault, is a former NBA Assistant Coach with the Lakers, Celtics, and Bucks, as well as 3-time WNBA Coach of the Year, leading both the Suns and the Mystics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chloe Moore-McNeil, Mackenzie Holmes, and Sara Scalia are all smiles after learning of their #4 NCAA Seeding <\/sup><\/em>
(photo courtesy of IU Athletics)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about the other 6 Big Ten teams in this year\u2019s tournament?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n