BLOOMINGTON, Indiana — A record-breaking regular-season crowd of 10,422 fans witnessed the Hoosiers shut down Wisconsin 93-56 Sunday afternoon.
Most viewers came to the 2018 WNIT Championship, but this season is also generating a lot of interest as Indiana improves to a 16-1 record sure to attract even more fans.
Four Hoosiers hit double digits, no longer an uncommon statistic, led by senior forward Mackenzie Holmes with 29 points. 21 of them came in the first half.
“I think she’s very difficult for other opposing teams when they don’t bring doubles, and you’re singles coverage for them,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said. “She’s kind of slippery.”
Holmes’ strong offensive game allowed all players on the bench to pick up meaningful minutes, including junior forward Kiandra Browne, who recorded her first minutes and bucket of the season after recently returning from a right thumb injury.
“We feel like this is a team that has depth,” Moren said.
“Now that we’re back in full force we have to figure out how to manage Grace Berger’s minutes, but also Chloe’s and even Syd and Yarden, all of them.”
Freshman guard Yarden Garzon also had a hot hand tonight, making 4-of-5 triples and finishing with 19 points. The Ra’anana native, Israel, also tied for her season-high with eight rebounds and seven assists.
“My mother is here,” Garzon said. “I’ve been working a lot on my shooting, so I feel confident with my shot. I am happy.”
Garzon said her younger sister also attended the game on Sunday. Since she lives on the other side of the world, they haven’t seen her play since this summer.
“If she can have a game like that in Illinois, I don’t know if I’ll let her go home,” Moren said, laughing. “You can just tell it lights up because they’re here.”
The Hoosiers shot an impressive 54.7 percent from the field and 40 percent from the three-point line, though Moren said she’d like to see better performance from some downtown players.
Indiana also dominated the paint thanks to Holmes, scoring 50 points overall while his defense limited Wisconsin to 30 paint points.
In the first quarter, Garzon got the Hoosiers going with a midrange jumper while the Badgers followed with a layup. On the next possession, Garzon hit a 3-pointer corner, followed by another mid-range shot shortly after, while Holmes made a layup for an early seven-point lead to force a timeout for Wisconsin.
Scroll to Next
After an 11-0 run in Indiana, the Badgers hit back with a three of their own while the Hoosiers missed five straight shots. This allowed Wisconsin to move within six by the end of the frame.
“We made great shots in the first half,” said Moren. “They just didn’t go down for us. Two things we always tell them is have a short memory and keep shooting at it.”
Wisconsin opened the second frame with two free throws to close the gap to just four until Holmes forced a foul, sinking both of their shots as well.
“She’s a tough guard,” Moren said. “She’s so quick with her footwork, her hands are soft. She’s just a throwback post player that you don’t see often. She has a way of still getting her shot, making contact, and often completing plays.”
The Badgers tried to catch up, shutting down between four and six points apart, but Holmes proved too strong at the post, repeatedly hitting low shots.
Indiana slowly extended their lead to nine as Wisconsin entered a two-and-a-half-minute scoring drought with three turnovers.
With just over three and a half minutes into halftime, Garzon tied their second three-pointer of the game. Senior guard Grace Berger added her signature sweater, prompting Wisconsin to take time out.
At halftime, Indiana built a 47-26 lead and visited the line for 12 free throws, making 11 compared to Wisconsin’s three free throws.
Wisconsin started the third quarter with a layup, but Indiana quickly took control of the half when Garzon hit back-to-back threes just under the seven-minute mark.
Indiana kept his momentum going with a steal forced by junior guard Sydney Parrish, who got the ball across the court for a smooth jump shot late in the third frame. With less than a minute to go, Parrish grabbed a three before the final frame for a more than 30 point lead.
All of the Indiana bench players had a chance in the fourth quarter and put up a lineup Moren has never played before. Indiana held the Badgers to just nine points in the final frame, leading them to a 16-1 record on the season and showing the bench can be just as deep.
“You can’t really replicate a game in training,” said Holmes. “Experience can only be gained through play, so these minutes are really important for the newcomers to build their confidence and process mistakes.”
Next, Indiana will travel to Illinois to face the Fighting Illinois for the second time this season on Wednesday, January 18th.
Related stories about Indiana women’s basketball
- HOOSIERS VS BADGERS OPPOSITE On Sunday, the Hoosiers will play Wisconsin at home, giving Indiana’s head basketball coach Teri Moren an opportunity to tie the all-time winning record set by Jim Izard in 12 seasons. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA TAKES NO. 9 Maryland The No. 6 women’s basketball team from Indiana earned another ranking win when they defeated No. 9 Maryland at home. Junior guard Sydney Parrish led the charge with 18 points while three other Hoosiers hit double digits, including Grace Berger in her first home game from injury. CLICK HERE
- BERGER’S INJURY SCHEDULE Grace Berger, a senior guard for the Indiana women’s basketball team, suffered a right knee injury in November and missed a total of nine games before returning on Sunday. Hoosier head coach Teri Moren recaps Berger’s injury schedule and how Berger’s good humor and leadership kept propelling her to healing. CLICK HERE
