After a hot start for Indiana women’s basketball, the Hoosiers started a three-game Florida swing against Florida Gulf Coast University.
Indiana started the contest slowly, but ultimately turned a three-point first quarter deficit into an 82-64 win over the Eagles on Tuesday in Fort Myers, Florida.
Senior guard Shay Ciezki led all scorers with 26 points, and one rebound and four assists. Redshirt sophomore guard Lenée Beaumont continued her efficient scoring with 23 points off 5-for-5 shooting from 3-poing range. She added four rebounds and three assists.
After Ciezki opened scoring for the Hoosiers with a 3-pointer on their first possession, the game quickly turned into a defensive contest. Both the Hoosiers and the Eagles recorded six turnovers in the first quarter; however, Florida Gulf Coast was able to score 12 points off turnovers while Indiana scored 0.
Ciezki scored another 3-point basket with just over seven minutes remaining in the first quarter, but the turnovers limited the Hoosiers’ basket attempts and caused a scoring drought. Indiana did not score another basket from the field until three minutes to play remained in the opening frame.
The lack of offensive production from the Hoosiers allowed the Eagles to take a five-point lead midway through the first quarter. Indiana took the lead back in the middle of the second period, when a layup from senior guard Jerni Kiaku put the Hoosiers ahead 21-20.
A basket from Ciezki sparked a 10-0 run for Indiana and tied the contest at 23 points with five minutes to play in the first half. The run, which was possible from multiple Eagle turnovers and more efficient shooting from the Hoosiers, gave the Hoosiers an eight-point advantage.
Freshman guard Nevaeh Caffey and sophomore forward Zania Socka-Nguemen each picked up three fouls before the break, which allowed bench players to see more time on the floor. Sophomore guard Phoenix Stotijn played 11 minutes in the first half, while Kiaku tallied six minutes. Freshman forward Maya Makalusky and junior forward Edessa Noyan played a combined 12 minutes.
Indiana carried its dominance from the closing moments of the first half into the beginning of the third period. It outscored Florida Gulf Coast 28-10 in the third quarter to take a 24-point lead before the final period.
The Hoosiers were able to maintain their large lead throughout the fourth quarter, and 12th-year head coach Teri Moren reached further into her bench. Florida Gulf Coast outscored Indiana 26-20 in the fourth quarter, but the Hoosiers coasted to an 18-point victory.
Indiana, now 6-0, is set to take on Gonzaga University in its first matchup of the 2025 GEICO Coconut Hoops tournament. Tipoff between the Hoosiers and the Bulldogs is slated for 1:30 p.m. Friday and will stream on FloHoops.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Max Schneider (maxschn@iu.edu) and columnist Sean McAvoy (@sean_mc07 and semcavoy@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
