Indiana women’s basketball is off to its worst start to Big Ten play since the 2011-12 season.
The Hoosiers are 0-5 to begin their conference schedule. While their opponents have been strong — three of which are ranked in the Associated Press’ top 25 poll — the five Big Ten losses came after an 11-1 record in their nonconference schedule, with its lone loss being a shootout against then-No. 10 Iowa State University on Nov. 30.
The first four of Indiana’s conference defeats came as losses by 15 points or more, as the Hoosiers allowed their opponents to score more than 70 points in each of those four contests.
So, when Indiana fell to No. 25 Nebraska 78-73 on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, Hoosier's head coach Teri Moren wasn’t focused on the outcome.
“I’ll keep saying it; we’re right there,” Moren said postgame. “I do feel like we have some momentum that’s happening right now in our improvement. Again, about the process. We’re not trying to be result oriented right now. It’s all about being process oriented.”
The Hoosiers matched the Cornhuskers’ offensive intensity to start the contest, as Nebraska held a 23-20 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Senior guard Shay Ciezki and sophomore forward Zania Socka-Nguemen carried that offensive production for Indiana, scoring 12 and eight points, respectively.
Indiana was once again outscored in the second quarter, but an efficient third helped the Hoosiers tie the contest at 53 before the final period. They were within reach of Nebraska till the end, when a few costly mistakes set Indiana back. But through it all, Moren saw improvement.
The 12th-year Indiana head coach specifically pointed to her squad's 71-48 loss to Minnesota on Dec. 29. Then, their improvement three days later against then-No. 24 Michigan State, despite a 20-point loss.
It was still a blowout defeat, but Moren thinks that even with the losses, there are areas where her young team is growing.
“We have to be about the process of the things that we have to keep getting better at and improving that will eventually put us in a position to win some of these games,” Moren said. “And that’s our focus right now.”
For Moren, being “process oriented” means being focused, not only in the competitions, but in preparation for them. It’s about how her team concentrates on what “the game is going to require,” which will give Indiana a chance to succeed.
However, even if Moren and the Hoosiers aren’t “chasing the results,” Indiana is still winless in the Big Ten, and its path to getting its first conference win won’t be easy.
The Hoosiers are in the middle of a six-game stretch facing ranked opponents. They failed their first three — Michigan State, then-No. 7 Maryland and Nebraska — while No. 14 Iowa awaits Indiana at 5 p.m. Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Then, No. 23 Washington on Jan. 14 and No. 19 Ohio State on Jan. 22.
“It’s gonna take all of us, but we also have to pour into each other, and you have to inspire the person sitting next to you, that is our game, this is how we’re gonna win it,” Moren said. “And we all have to believe it.”
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.
