Shots were not falling. Not a single first-half attempt from behind the 3-point line made its way into the basket.
The Hoosiers (12-7, 2-6) have made the third most 3-pointers in the Big Ten but shot 2-of-18 from deep in the 84-74 loss to No. 7 Maryland on Sunday. Instead of living and dying by the three, as IU usually does even if it’s not working, IU Coach Teri Moren and her team made an adjustment.
“It could have gone one of two ways,” Moren said. “It could have gone like the Ohio State loss or it could have gone like this.”
By this, Moren means the way IU kept attacking despite trailing 18 points at the half. By this, Moren means the fact that IU outscored Maryland 42-34 in the paint, something IU rarely does.
IU did not make many shots from deep, but they adjusted and began attacking the rim aggressively, something Moren has been trying to get her team to do more all season. The Hoosiers did it effectively against a highly ranked Big Ten opponent in Maryland that starts two players listed as centers.
The team scrapped and fought to stay in the game. Whether it was from their scoring inside or their 25 points off turnovers, or even their 10 fast break points, the Hoosiers did not score by 3-point shooting.
Freshman guard Tyra Buss was the prime example of the adjustments IU made. She had 19 points, much of which came from driving to the basket, in addition to her six assists and three steals.
“Offensively, I thought she was in attack mode throughout the afternoon,” Moren said. “We need our guards to continue to do that, get to the free throw line.”
Buss said she always has confidence, but she added that her sophomore teammates have helped her in adjusting to what it takes to play in the Big Ten.
The fact that the Hoosiers were not making their 3-pointers did not mean they had to abandon deep shooting all together. That is one of the team’s best weapons. It just meant they need to alter the primary focus.
“You have to give them some positive juice too, we are good shooters,” Moren said.
While she stressed that IU needed to attack, use off-the-ball screens and try to get to the basket, she wanted them to take open shots.
“We encouraged ourselves at halftime. We get open kick outs, shoot it. You’re open, shoot it,” Moren said. “Those shots are going to fall. A lot of it with us is that we have to have a short memory. We have to make sure our hands and feet are ready — we are locked and loaded. When that ball comes to us we need to shoot it with confidence.”
So when freshman forward Amanda Cahill made IU’s first 3-pointer with 14 minutes and 47 seconds remaining in the game, the crowd erupted despite trailing by 21 points. It was the Hoosiers’ 14th attempt, and it finally went in.
They didn’t make another one until 13 minutes later. The team made adjustments that encouraged the staff, but it was still too late. A hole tends to be dug when a team shoots 0-of-11 from deep in the first half. IU made runs, but it still resulted in a 10-point loss.
Sometimes, it is the little accomplishments that a team needs to focus on.
“Even though we didn’t shoot it terrific from the 3-point line, I was pleased with the way we kept attacking,” Moren said.
“We didn’t back down.”
