It’s been an up-and-down season for Indiana women’s basketball’s frontcourt. Sloppy play, a lack of effort and injuries characterized the group throughout the Hoosiers’ first 18 games this season.
But entering Indiana’s 19th contest of its 2025-26 campaign, the Hoosiers finally looked like they were having an impact close to the basket. Sophomore forward Zania Socka-Nguemen garnered two consecutive double-doubles and junior forward Edessa Noyan started to match the physicality of Big Ten opponents off the bench.
However, Wednesday’s matchup against Washington told a different story. Socka-Nguemen and Noyan were no match for the Huskies’ tandem of senior center Yulia Grabovskaia and freshman forward Brynn McGaughy.
In total, Washington compiled 54 points in the paint out of its 82 total points. The amount propelled the Huskies to an 82-63 win, and the result dropped Indiana to 0-7 against Big Ten competition.
And the game plan for the Hoosiers put stress on their frontcourt.
“We were going over ball screens, because they’re such terrific shooters from outside,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said postgame. “Anytime you run into a ball screen, which we did, I felt, a lot tonight, you’re putting a lot of pressure on your five.”
The ball screens were a good offensive strategy for Washington head coach Tina Langley and her team, as the Huskies went 6 for 11 from 3-point range and average 37% on their long-range attempts, the third-best mark in the Big Ten.
The threat of the 3-pointer froze Indiana’s defense in its tracks, allowing Washington to get downhill and to the basket. Out of the Huskies’ 54 points in the paint, 44 of them came from layups.
The 6-foot-5 Grabovskaia feasted in the paint against the trio of 6-foot-3 players who Indiana checked onto Branch McCraken Court. She finished with 16 points, going 8 for 11 from the field. McGaughy added 13 points and a 6-for-9 shooting performance.
It was two performances that Indiana couldn’t neutralize. Socka-Nguemen tied her season-low of 4 points in 20 minutes, while Noyan was only able to produce 2 points and two rebounds. Indiana even gave junior forward Jade Ondineme, who’s only played a total of 66 minutes this season, five minutes of playing time.
Why?
“I was mad at Edessa,” Moren said. “She wasn’t boxing out. So, I was giving somebody else an opportunity.”
Ondineme’s opportunity resulted in one rebound and zeros in every other stat category. But it was a clear message from Moren to the team: the effort had to be improved, or the bench was calling your name.
Indiana has lacked consistent effort in every Big Ten game this season. And the 0-7 record reflects that fact. The Hoosiers have gone on extended stretches — especially in the third quarter of games — that have basically ended the contest in the eyes of the players.
“Their effort has to be better,” Moren said postgame. “’Z’ has to get her rear end in shape. I thought ‘Z’ did a lot of walking around tonight, and she’s such a big part of what we do.”
Socka-Nguemen is coming back from a leg injury that kept her out of eight straight games. But in the three games since her return against then-No. 7 Maryland, Socka-Nguemen has, at times, looked slow on both ends of the court.
It’s a trend that must be fixed if Indiana wants to win at least one game in the Big Ten. Socka-Nguemen was a steady presence down low, averaging 12.6 points per game and a team-high 8.9 rebounds. But with the Hoosiers’ inconsistent scoring from other players, adding Socka-Nguemen to the mix is a recipe for disaster.
It was a disaster Wednesday that caused one loud fan to blurt out, “This is the worst basketball team I’ve ever seen,” with two minutes left in the third quarter and Indiana down 59-45. I think 0-17 Valparaiso University, 0-16 Niagara University or 0-15 Central Connecticut State University might have the Hoosiers beat.
However, Indiana might be one of the worst — if not the worst — teams in the Big Ten this season. Along with Penn State (0-7) and Rutgers (0-6), the Hoosiers are winless in conference play. And if Indiana doesn’t improve its record to at least 15th-best in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers’ Feb. 28 showdown against the Nittany Lions might end their season.
It’s still early to look so far ahead, but Indiana has issues that need to be cleaned up. Without a dominant post presence, opposing defenses can take every Indiana player out of the game — except senior guard Shay Ciezki.
The Hoosiers now have a week to prepare for their Jan. 22 matchup against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. With 11 games left in the Big Ten slate, it’s a chance for the mentality of this team to change for the better.
“If 0-8 doesn’t spark your rear end to be motivated, then I don’t know what is,” Moren said postgame. “If it doesn’t ignite something in you, then you probably shouldn’t be playing this game.”
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.
