Hoosiers Minus Shay Ciezki Hang with the Trojans 

By Nick Jenkinson/Excel H Sports

    The Indiana Hoosiers were missing their leading scorer Shay Ciezki Thursday Night who was out after she tweaked her ankle and was unable to go for the Hoosiers in their first of their two game Los Angeles Road trip against the USC Trojans.

    USC held off Indiana 79-73 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Ciezki is nine points shy of 1,000 for her Indiana career and that will have to wait until Sunday Afternoon when the Hoosiers face the UCLA Bruins at 3 PM at Pauley Pavillon.

  Freshman Maya Makalusky scored career high 29 points and played all 40 minutes for the first time this season. The Fishers, Indiana native recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season. Makalusky went 9-15 form the field, 5-10 from three-point range and 6-8 from the free throw line along with 6 rebounds.

    Edessa Noyan scored 12 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. Neveah Caffey scored 11 points, and Lenee Beaumont added 10 points as the Hoosiers put four in double figures. Jerni Kiaku replaced Ciezki in the starting lineup and scored 9 points along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.  Phoenix Stotjin scored 2 points as Faith Wiseman and Chloe Spreen played but did not score.

    Indiana went 25-52 for 48% from the field, 8-19 from three-point range for 42% and 15-18 from the free throw line for 83%. The Hoosiers pulled down 32 rebounds, dished out 19 assists, 4 steals, 4 blocks and 19 turnovers. The Hoosiers are 14-12 on the season and 3-11 in the Big Ten with just four regular season games remaining.

    Freshman Jazzy Davidson led USC with 24 points. Kara Dunn added 16 points, and Kennedy Smith scored 15 points to put three in double figures for the Trojans. USC went 24-64 from the field for 38%, 3-19 from three-point range for 16% and 28-35 from the free throw line for 80%. USC pulled down 38 rebounds, 15 assists, 11 steals, 6 blocks and 8 turnovers.

    The Trojans are 16-9 overall and 8-6 in the Big Ten and will host Wisconsin Next Thursday Night. Before their final regular season road trip to Ohio State and Penn State and then close out the regular season hosting crosstown rival UCLA.

    Indiana came out of the gates fast leading 24-13 after the first quarter. USC responded with 22-13 second quarter as the Hoosiers led 37-35 at halftime. USC outscored Indiana 44-36 in the second half as the Trojans led 57-54 at halftime and have won all three meetings with the Hoosiers.

    Indiana has been battling injuries all season long this was their biggest test yet without their leading scorer. The Hoosiers put up a big-time effort without a big-time player and hopefully their get her back on Sunday against the best team in Big Ten and one of the top teams in the nation in UCLA.