Indiana women’s basketball is still searching for its first Big Ten win of the season. For the first time since the 2017-18 season, the Hoosiers are 0-3 to begin conference action, with blowout losses to Illinois, Minnesota and No. 24 Michigan State.
However, getting their first Big Ten victory of the season within the next three weeks will be a tall task for the Hoosiers, as their next five opponents sit at No. 31 or above in the NCAA’s NET Rankings. Four of those five opponents are ranked in the Associated Press’ top 25 poll.
The gauntlet of games continues with No. 7 Maryland at 6 p.m. Sunday at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland.
While the start of Big Ten play has been a struggle for Indiana, the Hoosiers largely cruised through their nonconference schedule, going 11-1. Indiana's lone loss came in a shootout against then-No. 10 Iowa State University on Nov. 30.
Senior guard Shay Ciezki leads the Big Ten in points per game this season with 23.2. In nonconference contests, Ciezki averaged 24.4 points per game, but that figure has decreased to 18.3 in the Hoosiers’ three Big Ten games.
The supporting cast around Ciezki has been largely unproductive so far this season. Redshirt sophomore guard Lenée Beaumont has been Indiana’s other main contributor on the offensive end, as she’s averaging 15.1 points per game.
Sophomore forward Zania Socka-Nguemen averaged 13 points and nine rebounds before suffering and injury and missing the Hoosiers’ last eight games. After Indiana’s loss to Michigan State on Thursday, Indiana head coach Teri Moren said she still doesn’t know when Socka-Nguemen will return to the lineup, as the 6-foot-3 forward has not yet returned to practice.
Apart from those three, no other Hoosier averages more than 7.3 points per game. Maryland has five active players averaging above that figure — four of whom reach double-digit points per contest. Terrapin junior guard Oluchi Okananwa leads her team with 16.1 points per game. Maryland senior guard Kaylene Smikle averaged 13.1 points before opting to have season-ending knee surgery.
Indiana’s all-time leader in 3-pointers is Maryland’s second-highest scorer. Senior guard Yarden Garzon averages 13.1 points per game in her first season with the Terrapins.
Garzon was a starter for the Hoosiers in each of her three seasons in Bloomington before transferring to Maryland in April. The Ra’anana, Israel, native recorded 220 3-pointers off 42.6% shooting from long range, which is also a program record for Indiana.
Maryland lost its first game this season Thursday when it fell to Illinois 73-70, which put the Terrapins overall record at 14-1. They defeated their other two Big Ten opponents this season — Minnesota on Dec. 7 and Wisconsin on Dec. 29.
Despite the loss, Maryland largely dominated each of its nonconference opponents. It recorded a 74-66 signature win over then-No. 16 University of Kentucky on Nov. 26. Aside from the Terrapins' win over Kentucky, they defeated each of their nonconference opponents by 15 points or more. Their dominance gives them the second-best point differential in the Big Ten with a difference of 33 points per game, behind only Michigan State.
Maryland leads the conference with 44.6 rebounds per game. Its high efficiency on the boards will be difficult for Indiana to contend with, as the Hoosiers sit dead last in the Big Ten in rebounds per game with 32.9.
Tipoff between Indiana and Maryland is slated for 6 p.m. Sunday at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland. The contest will broadcast on 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.
