Indiana women’s basketball faced a major test Nov. 12 in the form of then-No. 15 Stanford University and, according to head coach Teri Moren it was a “old-fashioned butt-kicking.” Indiana will now have an opportunity to turn things around, welcoming Murray State University to Bloomington on Friday evening.
One player looking to have a bounce back game is graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes. The AP Preseason All-American had a major task against Stanford in matching up with senior forward Cameron Brink. As a result, Holmes produced just 8 points and two rebounds, all of which came in the second half. The Hoosiers’ star forward should produce better results against the Racers, who finished just 15-16 in their 2022-23 campaign.
Indiana freshman guard Lenée Beaumont may be seeing added minutes as she continues to be an efficient scorer for the Hoosiers. In just 11 minutes against Stanford she put up 9 points, matching her total from the season opener against Eastern Illinois University. Although Indiana has an immense amount of depth at the guard position, it may be difficult for Moren to keep Beaumont off the court if she continues to produce at a high rate.
The Hoosiers come into Friday as heavy favorites, but Murray State has shown some promise in the early season. The Racers began the year with a three point loss against Power 5 opponent University of Arkansas, before traveling home where they decimated the Division II school Cumberland University. However, the No. 18 ranked Indiana Hoosiers are certainly a step up in competition and, with Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall rocking, the Hoosiers will have the home-court advantage as well.
Indiana will try and heat up from beyond the arc following an ice-cold 5-32 performance from the three-point line. Such poor shooting is unusual for a team that shot nearly 37% last year, good for third-best in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers' top shooters, sophomore guard Yarden Garzon and fifth-year senior guard Sara Scalia, are key to Indiana’s ability to stretch the floor and should see a plethora of chances to get themselves back on track offensively.
The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. Friday and will be broadcast on Big Ten+.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa), columnist Ryan Canfield (@_ryancanfield) and photographer Olivia Bianco (@theoliviabianco) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
