Happy Monday, Hoosiers! Two of our basketball beat reporters, Emma Pawlitz Will Foley, wrote this introduction. Enjoy today's newsletter.
While Indiana men’s basketball was looking to prevent a losing streak, the No. 6 women’s team was trying to continue momentum coming off back-to-back wins heading into last week.
After a two-point loss to Iowa on Jan. 5 and a one-point loss to Northwestern on Jan. 8, Mike Woodson’s squad looked to end a conference skid plagued by injuries, poor execution and a lack of mental toughness. The Hoosiers couldn’t accomplish that feat until Saturday.
The men’s team suffered its second-worst loss of the season behind a 22-point deficit against the University of Kansas, falling to Penn State 85-66. Nittany Lion shooting guards made a mockery of the Hoosier defense, hitting over 58% of their 3-point attempts en route to an offensive explosion. Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis recorded a double-double, and guards freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino, sophomore Tamar Bates and junior Trey Galloway all hit double figures in scoring. It still wasn’t nearly enough to grab a victory in State College, Pennsylvania.
The Hoosiers snapped their 3-game losing streak on Saturday against No. 18 Wisconsin with an assertive 63-45 win at home. Jackson-Davis, who looked unphased by lingering back pains, had a dominant 18-point, 12-rebound, 5-assist outing. Junior forward Jordan Geronimo notched only the second double-double of his career with 12 points and 11 rebounds, earning himself a 2023 breakout game. Indiana’s 42-25 advantage and much improved defensive performance earned the team a bounce-back win and its second ranked triumph of the season.
Following a 22-point win over Northwestern the week prior, No. 6 Indiana women’s basketball hosted a highly anticipated matchup against No. 9 Maryland and it did not disappoint. The game was tightly contested early, but a dominant second quarter helped the Hoosiers take an 8-point lead heading into halftime. The Terrapins wouldn’t go away so easily, chipping the lead to six after the third period then tying it at 50 apiece early in the fourth frame. The Hoosiers responded, ripping off a 9-0 run initiated by a corner three from freshman guard Yarden Garzon. The scoring run turned out to be the final blow, as Maryland never brought the score closer than five points, finalizing in a monumental 68-61 Indiana win. Parrish finished with a team-high 18 points and senior forward Mackenzie Holmes notched her fourth consecutive double-double, posting 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Hoosiers followed the top-10 win by welcoming Wisconsin in front of a regular season record crowd of 10,422. Propelled by the crowd, Indiana came out hot, quickly opening the game on a 20-8 run. The Badgers fought back to cut the deficit to as little as four, but the Hoosiers dominated the second quarter and never looked back. A 21-point halftime lead turned into a 31-point lead after three frames, meriting head coach Teri Moren to rest her starters in the fourth period. Holmes scored an efficient 29 points in just 26 minutes, and Garzon added 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
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Women's Basketball Reporters: Matt Sebree, Will Foley & Matt Press
Men's Basketball Reporters: Emma Pawlitz, Evan Gerike & Bradley Hohulin
1 (big story with photo)
>> Indiana men’s basketball collapses in defensive meltdown against Penn State, loses 85-66
Penn State made 18 3-pointers, while Indiana made just four.
>> Mental mistakes merely a microcosm of recent struggles for Indiana men’s basketball
>> COLUMN: Indiana men’s basketball has good excuses, but not good enough for this
2 (big story with photo)
>> Shell-shocked: No. 6 Indiana women’s basketball earns top-10 victory over No. 9 Maryland
The Hoosiers are 2-0 in ranked matchups so far this season.
>> No. 6 Indiana women’s basketball’s rough-and-tough defense proves dependable in top-10 win
>> COLUMN: After beating Maryland, what else does Indiana women’s basketball need to prove?
3 (big story with photo)
>> Reinvigorated defense sparks Indiana men’s basketball in 63-45 victory over Wisconsin
Indiana held Wisconsin to 32% shooting from the field.
>> COLUMN: For Indiana men’s basketball, there’s no such thing as an ugly win
4 (big story with photo)
>> No. 6 Indiana women’s basketball’s offensive outburst aids 93-56 plastering over Wisconsin
The Hoosiers shot 54.7% from the field.
>> Mackenzie Holmes’ big first half leads No. 6 Indiana women’s basketball past Wisconsin
>> COLUMN: Indiana women’s basketball has built a culture of excitement and success
