Looking to bounce back from a blowout loss to No. 3 Iowa on Jan. 13, No. 16 Indiana women’s basketball returned to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday. The Hoosiers faced off against Minnesota for the only scheduled meeting between the two squads this season.
The teams began the opening quarter trading baskets, but the Golden Gophers held a 3-point lead just over midway through after going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
The Hoosiers responded with a 10-0 run thanks in large part to graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes notching 7 consecutive points. Scalia also knocked down her first triple of the contest to take a 7-point lead.
The Golden Gophers cut their deficit to 2 with a quick 5-0 burst before Indiana senior guard Sydney Parrish drilled a 3-ball to give the Hoosiers a 5-point lead after the first quarter.
Although it was tight after 10 minutes of play, Indiana stomped on the gas in the second frame. The Hoosiers went on a 19-2 run over nearly five minutes behind a 14-point explosion from Scalia. Holmes and Scalia tallied 17 points apiece in the first half, guiding Indiana to a 47-29 lead at halftime.
While it seemed like the Hoosiers were sure to cruise to a victory, they allowed Minnesota to hang around in the third quarter. The Golden Gophers pulled to within 12 with just over three minutes left in the frame before Indiana went on a 7-2 run behind Scalia’s fifth 3-pointer of the night.
The Hoosiers entered the final quarter with a 17-point advantage after being outscored 18-17 in the third quarter.
Just as they did in the third, Minnesota hung around in the early moments of the final quarter. The Golden Gophers closed the gap to within 12 before Indiana went on a 7-0 run to extend its lead to 19 with just over five minutes to play.
The squads traded baskets throughout the rest of the contest, giving way to the Hoosiers notching a 85-62 victory.
Holmes led all scorers with 32 points followed by Scalia’s 22-point performance.
Indiana (15-2, 6-1 Big Ten) now sets its sights on retaining the Barn Burner Trophy at 2 p.m. Sunday when it takes on in-state rival Purdue (9-7, 2-3 Big Ten) at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette. The contest will be streaming live on Peacock.
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.
