No. 12 Indiana women’s basketball continued its winning ways Thursday in Bloomington, defeating Bowling Green State University 96-61. After pulling off an upset on the road over No. 11 University of Tennessee on Monday, the Hoosiers had no signs of a feel-good hangover.
Indiana wasted no time earning a lead, trailing for a total of 36 seconds in the game, last behind 5-4 at the 7:26 mark. From that point, the Hoosiers finished with a 24-5 run to end the first quarter with an 18-point advantage. Senior guard Sara Scalia led the run with 10 points, while graduate forward Alyssa Geary scored five — including a 3-pointer to show off her range for the first time as a Hoosier.
While Indiana extended its lead by 10 points in the second quarter, turnovers began to pile up. The Hoosiers turned the ball over eight times in the second quarter and 13 times total in the first half. The team’s previous game-high was 11 against the University of Vermont — Indiana finished with 18 tonight.
“I’m disappointed with 18. It’s far too many,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said. “A lot of those were unforced. They’re on us, and we have to address that.”
Despite the unforced errors, Indiana still led 49-21 at the half. The Hoosiers shot 58.1% from the field while holding the Falcons to 23.5%.
Bowling Green came out fighting to start the second half, but its efforts seemed too late to alter the outcome. The Falcons scored 20 points in the third quarter, one shy of their first half total.
While Bowling Green challenged Indiana in the final 20 minutes, it wasn’t enough to stop the Hoosiers’ offensive outburst. Indiana scored 21 points in the third quarter and 26 points in the fourth quarter, cruising to a season-high 96 points.
Indiana’s 96 points were a team effort, as six Hoosiers scored double-digit points. Scalia led the team with 17, junior forward Mackenzie Holmes added 16, graduate guard Grace Berger scored 14, junior guards Sydney Parrish and Chloe Moore-McNeil put up 11 and 10, respectively, and freshman guard Yarden Garzon scored 10.
Moren said she was impressed by the Hoosiers’ scoring but was more pleased by the team’s unselfishness. Indiana had 25 assists on 40 made baskets.
“We continue to share the ball and get everybody involved, and that’s really nice,” Moren said. “The pieces are nice to have because they can fill in some holes while others are struggling.”
Parrish continued her success as Indiana’s sixth woman, grabbing 10 boards along with her 11 points to earn her fifth double-double in her career and her first as a Hoosier. After starting all 32 games at the University of Oregon last season, Parrish remarked on the adjustment her role has been and how she’s embraced it.
“I’m not used to it, but I think it’s helped me and gives energy to the team,” Parrish said. “It’s been great. I love my role and I’ll do anything to help the team win.”
After struggling from behind the arc in its last two games, Indiana was able to have success in an efficient manner. The Hoosiers shot 7-of-19 tonight — a clip of 36.8% — and had five contributors from deep.
Indiana will stay in Bloomington for the weekend, hosting Quinnipiac University at 1 p.m. Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
