Coming off an 0-4 start to its Big Ten campaign, Indiana women’s basketball hoped to stem the tide in its second consecutive road conference game.
However, the Hoosiers’ wait for their first conference win continues, as they lost to No. 25 Nebraska 78-73 on Thursday at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Sophomore forward Zania Socka-Nguemen returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Nov. 28 against Gonzaga University. Socka-Nguemen missed eight straight games with an injury before returning off the bench against Maryland. She collected four points, three rebounds and four fouls in 17 minutes against the Terrapins.
Nebraska got out to a slim lead early in the first quarter, holding a 16-11 lead just over four minutes into the match. Senior guard Shay Ciezki and Socka-Nguemen shouldered the offensive load for Indiana early against the Cornhuskers, combining for all the Hoosiers’ 20 points in the first quarter.
Trailing 23-20 entering the second quarter, Indiana struggled to sink shots offensively, scoring four points in seven minutes as Nebraska’s lead ballooned to 12 points.
Indiana players other than Ciezki and Socka-Nguemen entered the scoresheet near the end of the half, however, as two points each from freshman guard Nevaeh Caffey and senior guard Jerni Kiaku cut into the Nebraska lead.
At halftime, the Cornhuskers held a 38-30 advantage over the Hoosiers. Ciezki led Indiana with 14 points by the break. Socka-Nguemen trailed just behind her with 12. Socka-Nguemen also led the team with six first-half rebounds.
Entering the second half down by eight, Indiana couldn’t dig into Nebraska’s lead. The Cornhuskers kept the Hoosiers at arm’s length for most of the third quarter.
However, as the end of the third quarter crept closer, so did Indiana. Ciezki hit an and-one layup to cut the Nebraska lead to two with two and a half minutes remaining in the third.
With 1:16 left in the third quarter, freshman forward Maya Makalusky drained a 3-pointer while being fouled. She hit the free throw to complete a four-point play, giving Indiana its first lead since early in the first quarter.
Despite clawing its way back to a 51-49 lead, Indiana found itself tied with Nebraska at 53 points after the end of the third quarter. The Hoosiers were only one quarter away from a potential first conference and ranked win of the 2025-26 season.
Both teams traded baskets as the final quarter ticked by. The lead went back and forth as both teams wrestled for control of the match, each side unable to secure the upper hand.
Down 67-65 with four and a half minutes remaining, Indiana’s resolve began to crack. Multiple defensive stops by Nebraska allowed the Cornhuskers to extend their lead to seven.
Despite Makalusky sinking another 3-pointer to cut the lead to four, Nebraska was ultimately able to pull away after a wave of fouls, winning 78-73.
Ciezki led Indiana with 31 points, her fourth game of the season with 30 or more points. Socka-Nguemen earned a double-double in her return to the starting lineup, logging 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Indiana women’s basketball returns home to continue Big Ten play against No. 14 Iowa at 5 p.m. Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The game will be available on the Big Ten Network.
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.
