It was all too similar for IU women’s basketball.
After holding a double-digit second-half lead at Rutgers on Thursday, IU let it slip away and left Piscataway, New Jersey, with its second straight loss.
Come Sunday, IU extended its lead to double figures in the third quarter before Nebraska chipped away and eventually tied up the contest in the final quarter.
But IU did not let history repeat itself.
After being tied at 65 with 5:42 remaining, IU hit big shots down the stretch to pull out an 82-78 victory.
“As much credit as I give Nebraska, I give our kids even more for fighting through the challenge that was ahead of them,” assistant coach Janese Constantine said on the team’s postgame radio show.
IU, now 17-6 overall and 6-5 in the Big Ten, picked up its first road win since Jan. 13 against Wisconsin.
The game did not look promising for the Hoosiers at the start. They came out with turnovers on their first three possessions.
IU Coach Teri Moren has said all season that her team looks to have 15 or less turnovers per game, a number that takes into account the fast-paced offense she runs.
But with five turnovers in the first quarter, IU trailed 17-12 on 4-for-16 shooting.
However, the IU offense was able to clean up its play and strengthen its offense. The Hoosiers turned the ball over just seven times the rest of the game and scored 22 or more points in each of the final three quarters.
“Ball security was paramount today,” Moren said to the media postgame. “That’s one of the ways you’re going to win games, by taking care of the ball and rebounding. I’m just really pleased that we were able to take care of the ball the way we did today.”
Junior guard Ali Patberg was also able to bring up her scoring numbers after a handful of poor showings.
Patberg, who leads the team in scoring with more than 15 points per game, put up just 23 in her last four outings.
But against Nebraska she found her stroke early and had the home team flustered all afternoon.
With 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting along with six assists, Patberg looked like the player spectators had become accustomed to watching before the tough stretch began in mid-January.
“It was so good to see her be aggressive,” Constantine said. “That’s what I told her before the game. I was like, ‘You’ve got to be aggressive. That’s when you’re at your best because when you’re aggressive you create for others.’ And I thought she did exactly that.”
While Patberg was hitting her shots, she was also able to find senior forward Kym Royster for buckets.
Royster posted her third double-double of the year with a season-high 19 points and 14 rebounds.
“She did not have a very good shootaround,” Moren said. “In spite of that, she came today. I don’t know if it was my words of encouragement that were spirited or she just decided today that she was going to be terrific.”
IU is now tied for sixth in the Big Ten with Purdue and will be back in action at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall against Minnesota.
