#9 Hoosiers perfect start lead to Victory

#9 Hoosiers perfect start lead to Victory
By Nick Jenkinson\Excel H Sports
The # 9 Excel H Sports Ranked Indiana Hoosiers dominated start to finish in an 80-59 win over the #27 Excel H Sports Ranked Michigan Wolverines Thursday Night in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. After a 2-2 tie the Hoosiers used a perfect first quarter to lead 36-17 at the end of the first quarter. The Hoosiers were 13-13 from the field and 6-6 from three-point range and 4-6 from the free throw line as Sydney Parrish scored 14 points including 3 three pointers. Sara Scalia added 11 points with 3 three pointers and Mackenize Holmes scored 8 first quarter points. “I had no idea that we were prefect, I was really enjoying the pace, sharing the ball but nothing really surprises me with this team’s ability to make shots” Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren said after the game.

The Hoosiers hit their first two field goals in the second quarter going a perfect 15-15 from the field which is something that has not been seen since 1999 that a division 1 team has made their first 15 shots to start the game. The 36 first quarter points was the most points in a quarter since February 2022. The Hoosiers did not have a field goal for last 2:51 of the second quarter and Michigan outscored the Hoosiers 17-15 in the second quarter as the Hoosiers went into the locker room 51-34. Indiana was 17-21 from the field for 81%, 6-9 from three-point range for 67% and 11-18 from the free throw line for 61%. Sydney Parrish and Mackenize Holmes led the Hoosiers with 14 first half points apiece and 11 points from Sara Scalia.

In the Second Half the Hoosiers went on a 6-0 run with back-to-back three pointers from Scalia and Garzon as the Hoosiers led 62-36 with 5:14 left in the third quarter. Indiana struggled with no field goals and three turnovers in a three minute and eleven second stretch when Scalia ended the scoring drought. The Hoosiers led 68-48 to end the third quarter as IU outscored Michigan 17-14. In the fourth quarter the Hoosiers outscored Michigan 12-11 as the Hoosiers had another drought of not scoring a field goal for over five minutes and had to battle foul trouble late in the game. “We have had moments where there has been frustration, but we have always had the one game mentality and what’s ahead of us” Moren said after the game. Moren added “I hope in the next few days we continue to improve”.

Mackenize Holmes finished with 20 points on 7-10 from the field and 6-10 from the free throw line. The Gorham, Maine native has scored 2,150 career points and is now 215 points away from breaking Tyra Buss’s scoring record of 2,364 points from 2014-2018. Sara Scalia scored 16 points on 4-10 from the three-point line, 5-12 from the field and 2-2 from the free throw line. Sydney Parrish added 14 points on 3-4 from the three-point line, 5-6 from the field and 1-2 from the free throw line. The Hoosiers finished 26-45 from the field for 57%, 9-19 from three-point range for 47% and 19-29 from the free throw line for 65%. Indiana pulled down 30 rebounds, dished out 17 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals and committed 14 turnovers. The Hoosiers scored 34 points in the paint and 15 points off the bench.  The Hoosiers inside outside combination was on point in the first half and that makes the Hoosiers a tough team game in and game out.

Lelia Phelia scored 23 points to lead Michigan as she was the only player in double figures for the Wolverines. Michigan finished 24-58 from the field for 41%, 1-9 from three-point range for 11% and 10-18 from the free throw line for 55%. The Wolverines pulled down 27 rebounds, dished out 7 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks and committed 10 turnovers. Michigan is 11-4 and 2-1 in the Big Ten and Hosts Minnesota Next Tuesday.

Indiana is 12-1 and 3-0 in the Big Ten with a big road trip to Lincoln Nebraska on Sunday afternoon to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Hoosiers are on an 11-game winning streak are looking to keep pace with Iowa who is 3-0 in conference play and road trip coming to Iowa City on January 13. Indiana leads the all-time series 50-31 and have won three in a row and five of the last six meetings with Michigan.

The Hoosiers have already sold out the February 22, game against Iowa which will be the second sellout in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, but Head Coach Teri Moren says there is more work to do. “My Goal is to have more sellouts” Moren Said after the game.  “I want to see people in the rafters, so we still have work to do”.

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