I made the trek to Indianapolis for first round action of the Big Ten Tournament. Unfortunately I was having some wireless issues, so I wasn't able to give you live updates. I do apologize.
The Hoosiers looked very impressive in a 74-52 win over Northwestern. IU was sharp right from the start, especially Amber Jackson. Jackson scored the first seven points of the game and the first 11 points for the Hoosiers on her way to 15 points and 7 rebounds. Whitney Thomas also recorded another double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Wildcats held Jamie Braun scoreless, although Braun did contribute five assists and three steals.
IU maintained a big lead throughout the second half and was able to rest its starters. Each of the starters played only 20 minutes or so. The Hoosiers' bench, including most of their freshman, played good minutes. The freshman may have shaken some of the butterflies, which should bode well for next round. Walk-on Lydia Serfling even scored her first basket of the year in mop up time.
IU has a huge matchup with Purdue on Friday afternoon. It's a big opportunity for the Hoosiers to get another big win to boost its NCAA tournament resume. The Hoosiers likely would need another win or two to qualify for Big Dance.
What are your thoughts on tomorrow's game? Can the Hoosiers get a big win against their rival? Let's here your thoughts and be sure to check out my stories on the Northwestern game in Friday's IDS (I know, it's a shameless plug).
