Are we really coming up on the midway point through the regular season? It felt like just yesterday when No. 4 Indiana women’s basketball sauntered through Rocky Top past the Tennessee Lady Vols and lost graduate guard Grace Berger to a knee injury in some dumb tournament in Las Vegas.
Well, time certainly flies, doesn’t it? Heading into a weeklong holiday break, the Hoosiers are still perfect record-wise, sitting at 12-0 after taking down Butler University 67-50 on Wednesday in Assembly Hall.
The win wasn’t nearly as pronounced as the 63-point dismantling of Morehead State on Sunday, as Indiana committed 16 turnovers in a relatively sloppy collective performance.
“Way too many turnovers in the first half, especially,” coach Teri Moren said after the game. “I thought at times we looked hurried. Maybe we were in a hurry to get home and open presents. I don’t know.”
Still, Moren has been able to showcase the team’s depth over the past two games — a potential resolution for the new year. And despite the absence of Berger in the starting five, the usual contributors are performing as stellar as ever.
With Big Ten play awaiting the Hoosiers after their well-deserved rest, I decided to assign some arbitrary letters to players and different aspects of the team. The first semester of school is in the rearview mirror, and I understand that no one wants to hear about grades. Don’t worry, though, I can assure you this won’t cause quarrels with your parents or send you into a spiraling panic.
Mackenzie Holmes: A
This should come as no surprise. The senior forward has been an offensive force all season long, averaging 20 points on nearly 70% shooting. Her footwork in the paint is simply impeccable, and a trait that pairs with her brute strength to create a sort of “dancing bear” down low.
She’s an unquestioned leader on the team both on and off the floor. Moren said she wasn’t in an optimal status conditioning-wise at the outset of the season, but she has been consistently logging 30 or more minutes as of late.
Her reliable presence on both ends is integral to the Hoosiers’ success. My only knock, and the reason she is not an A+, is that I would like to see a bit more facilitation from the low block. Holmes draws a plethora of double teams, and with proven perimeter shooters surrounding her, she has a prime opportunity to kick the ball out for open shots.
But watch out. As we saw on Wednesday, Holmes can take those shots and surprise everyone in the building, including herself.
Sydney Parrish: A+
Since joining the starting five after Berger’s injury, the junior guard has arguably been the Hoosiers’ best player. She has shot 37% from deep on 52 attempts this season, and her makes have come at the most opportune moments.
A scrappy, insatiable defender, Parrish embodies everything Moren looks for in a guard. With crisp passes and constant off-ball movement on the offensive end and grit and activeness on the other, the Oregon transfer has made the most of her first season back in her home state.
The scariest part, though, is it feels like Parrish has a gear that has yet to be unleashed. For now, she’s an irreplaceable member of the starting rotation.
Sara Scalia: B+
The senior Minnesota transfer has been good, but perhaps shy of the expectations she had coming into the season. Scalia is shooting 33% on a team-leading 73 3-point attempts, and she has struggled inside the arc as well.
Her chunks of minutes and pure shot volume are enough to average double-digit scoring, but the lack of efficiency is a bit worrisome. With the Golden Gophers, Scalia was moving constantly to create open shots and become a nuisance to defenders, but she has been a bit stagnant thus far.
Additionally, despite impressive slashing skills, Scalia too often looks to add an extra pass instead of exploding to the rim. With all that being said, as a proven commodity in the Big Ten, I have confidence she can take a step up come conference play.
Team Shooting: A-
Perhaps the story of the season has been the Hoosiers outside shooting. The team is recording a respectable 37% from deep and displays a willingness to let shots fly, a stark change from past seasons.
Freshman guard Yarden Garzon, who leads the Big Ten in 3-point percentage at 52%, and junior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil have been particularly sharp from range. With Holmes clogging space down low, and four capable shooters on the perimeter, the team has displayed a knack for scorching-hot scoring runs.
The only reason this isn’t an A or A+ is the shot selection. Moren has touched on it throughout the young season, but there are instances seemingly each game of unnecessary contested heaves.
Final thoughts
Rest and relaxation are warranted for the Hoosiers, but they have a heck of a conference schedule looming around the corner. To enter the holidays on a positive note, though, I would say this is a refrigerator-worthy report card.
