No. 14 Indiana women’s basketball closed out its regular season Sunday afternoon with a 71-54 win over Maryland on Senior Day. Fifth-year senior guard Sara Scalia’s performance and a stingy Hoosiers defense paved the way for the win over the Terrapins. Here are the storylines from Sunday’s matchup.
Scalia stays sharp
Somewhat fittingly, Scalia led the way for the Hoosiers’ offensive attack with a game-high 19 points on 6-for-13 shooting. The Minnesota transfer has erupted in her second season with Indiana, nearly doubling her scoring output from last season with 16.1 points per game compared to her previous average of 9.5 last season.
Scalia has now scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 17, a stretch highlighted by a game-high 25-point performance in an 86-69 win over then-No. 4 Iowa on Feb. 22. A similarly inspired effort against the Terrapins — one that included four made 3-pointers — was enough to push the Hoosiers to another win.
“Tonight was a special night in general,” Scalia said postgame. “It was just a lot of emotions, a lot of love. So, coming out with a win tonight was definitely big.”
Scalia plays an instrumental role for Indiana this season, both as a scorer and a facilitator. She shoots a Big Ten-best 43.5% from beyond the arc and is averaging a career-high 2.6 assists per game.
As her final season in college basketball comes to a close, Scalia was one of three Hoosiers honored during Senior Day. She had no shortage of praise for her teammates following the game.
“This whole program welcomed me in with open arms,” Scalia said. “I’ve just had a lot of fun being able to play alongside my teammates and it's been a really fun two years.”
Lockdown defense
On the other side of the floor, a full-team effort held Maryland to a minuscule 54 points — the Terrapins' second fewest in a game this season. The Hoosiers forced 13 turnovers and held their opponent to a 28.4% shooting percentage, including a 3-for-16 clip from beyond the arc.
Indiana held Maryland’s leading scorer junior guard Shyanne Sellers to a similarly poor 3-for-13 performance from the field, due in part to the defense of senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil.
“She’s been so instrumental the last couple seasons for us,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said. “The way she’s grown into becoming one of the best Big Ten guards has been really special.”
Moore-McNeil announced Saturday that she would be using her fifth and final year of eligibility to return to the Hoosiers next season.
Senior farewells
In addition to Scalia’s offensive performance, the other two Indiana players recognized during Senior Day had their moments to shine. Graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes had 11 points off a flawless 5-for-5 from the field before exiting due to a knee injury with 1:20 left in the third quarter.
Although she didn’t return to the floor, Holmes came back out to the Hoosiers’ bench with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter and received a roaring ovation from the crowd at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Holmes’ status is currently day-to-day according to Moren as Indiana will hope to have its’ All-American forward healthy as postseason play begins.
Lastly, redshirt senior center Arielle Wisne came off the bench and checked in with 1:04 remaining in the final frame. The Colorado native averages just 2.1 minutes per game on the year but had her moment in the spotlight when she blocked a Terrapin layup attempt on Indiana’s last defensive possession of the game.
“She is the greatest teammate, and I can’t overstate it enough,” Moren said. “She’s such a beautiful person inside and out. To put her on the floor and have her do something positive was great.”
With the regular season concluded, Indiana sets its sights on the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota where it enters as the No. 3 seed. The top four seeded teams receive a double-bye, meaning the Hoosiers will automatically advance to Friday’s quarterfinals.
Indiana’s opponent and the official tip-off time are still to be determined, but Friday’s matchup will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
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.
