WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Sunday afternoon’s matchup between No. 16 Indiana women’s basketball (16-2, 7-1 Big Ten) and Purdue (9-9, 2-5 Big Ten) meant a little more for both sides.
The Hoosiers entered the game with a chance to extend their in-state rivalry win streak to double-digits while the Boilermakers looked to find a momentum changing victory over a ranked opponent in front of a roaring home crowd.
Over 11,000 fans at Mackey Arena were treated to a back-and-forth thriller as the Hoosiers ultimately secured a 74-68 victory.
Regardless of the result, Hoosiers struggled to rebound and made a plethora of unforced errors, keeping the Boilermakers in the game deep into the fourth quarter. Much to the dismay of head coach Teri Moren, Indiana was out-rebounded 14-to-5 on the offensive glass and finished with 18 turnovers.
“We're not very happy with the rebounding difference,” Moren said. “We know we have to be better there, as well as taking care of the ball. 18 turnovers are too much for our basketball team.”
Indiana wasted numerous possessions as the hostile crowd and scrappy Purdue defense lured the Hoosiers into making fundamental mistakes. The Boilermakers led 54-51 entering the final frame, with momentum on their side after freshman guard Rashunda Jones’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third quarter.
Fortunately for the Hoosiers, a sharpshooting performance from beyond the arc turned an otherwise disastrous loss into a 6-point win. Indiana shot 15-for-23 (65.2%) from beyond the arc, a season high in 3-pointers and 3-point percentage.
Fifth-year senior guard Sara Scalia and sophomore guard Yarden Garzon led the way for the barrage of long range makes. The two Hoosier starters shot a combined 11-for-17 from deep — making up for the team’s turnovers and poor rebounding.
Even graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes got in on the action, sinking her first 3-point attempt of the season in a crucial moment with the game tied 56-56 early in the fourth quarter. Time after time, Indiana came through with clutch shots, stifling the Boilermakers’ momentum. Purdue head coach Katie Gearlds noted the Hoosiers' composure following the game.
“They never looked rattled,” Gearlds said. “Credit to them for stepping up and knocking down big shots.”
Surprisingly, the red-hot shooting performance came without the help of one of the Hoosiers’ best shooters, senior guard Sydney Parrish. She shot 58.6% from beyond the arc across Indiana’s previous four games, but after sustaining an injury during Friday’s practice, was ruled out and not available against Purdue.
Parrish had a boot on her right foot along with a pair of crutches and is set to be reevaluated later in the week. Yet even without the Oregon transfer, the Hoosiers pulled out the victory.
With the win, Indiana has won 10 straight matchups against Purdue and once more took home the coveted Barn Burner Trophy.
“We really come together on the road,” Scalia said. “It's definitely a good feeling when we come out with a win, especially on the road.”
In addition to the win, Iowa’s loss to Ohio State Sunday afternoon puts the Hoosiers in a tie atop the Big Ten standings with the Hawkeyes.
Indiana will have the remainder of the week off, returning to play next Sunday, Jan. 28, when the Hoosiers host Northwestern. The tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and the matchup will be televised 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.
