Maryland’s Physicality Spoils Indiana’s Senior Night 

By Nick Jenkinson/Excel H Sports

    The #16 Excel H Sports Ranked Maryland Terrapins came into Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Thursday Night and spoiled Senior Night with a 74-60 win over the Indiana Hoosiers. Maryland is 22-6 overall and 12-5 in the Big Ten and will host Ohio State on Sunday to close out the regular season and are in position to finish in the top four and clinch a double bye in next week’s Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Indiana is 17-11 and 9-8 in Big Ten and will close out the Regular Season Sunday Afternoon at Purdue.

    The Hoosiers are back on the NCAA Tournament Bubble with two straight losses against ranked team and the Hoosiers cannot afford a lost at Purdue who beat Penn State Thursday Night in State College to keep their Big Ten Tournament hopes alive as the Boilers currently in the 15th and final position.

    Yarden Garzon led the Hoosiers with 18 points, and she drilled three 3 pointers as she stands second all-time with 205 Career Three Pointers and sits one behind Kris McGrade with 206 career three pointers and will have a chance to break the record Sunday at Purdue. Shay Ciezki added 15 points. The Three Seniors led by Sydney Parrish scoring 13 Points, Karoline Striplin adding 10 points and Chloe Moore-McNeil dishing out 10 assists and scoring 4 points as the starters scored all 60 points.

    Lexus Bargesser, Juliana LaMendola, Henna Sandvik and Lilly Meister all played but did not score. Indiana finished the game 23-55 from the field for 41%. 8-23 from three-point range for 34% and 6-9 from the free throw line for 66%. The Hoosiers pulled down 24 rebounds, 17 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals, 28 points in the paint and committed 12 turnovers.

   Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren was not pleased with her teams focus throughout the season. “If there’s one thing that I attribute some of our mishaps. it’s focus, and its consistency, being consistent night in and night out” Indiana Head Coach Teri Moren said after the game

   Shyanne Sellers led Maryland with 25 points, Kaylene Smikle added 16 points along with 11 points from Chrstina Dalce and Allie Kubek pulled down 11 rebounds and added 6 points. Maryland finished 29-61 from the field for 47%, 6-15 from three-point range for 40% and 10-12 from the free throw line for 83%. The Terrapins pulled down 39 rebounds, 15 assists, 4 blocks, 3 steals, 30 points in the paint, 8 bench points and committed 12 turnovers. Maryland is always a physical team and were able to push around Indiana. “I don’t think we’re as physical as some other teams, but I know we need to be” Moren said after the game.

   Indiana jumped out to a 6-0 lead with the three seniors involved as Chloe Moore-McNeil two assists one to Sydney Parrish and the other Karoline Striplin. Striplin scored her first basket to give Indiana a 4-0 lead. Maryland responded with a 7-0 run and the game was and forth at the end of the first quarter with the game tied 14-14 as the game had 4 ties and seven lead changes.

   Indiana and Maryland were tied 18-18 with 6:21 left in the second quarter when the Terrapins went 14-2 run for the last 6:20 for the second quarter and did not score for the last 2:20 as Maryland took a 30-20 lead into the locker room.

   In the third quarter Indiana outscored Maryland 19-16 as the Hoosiers got within two 39-37 with 2:48 left in the third quarter as Maryland led 46-39 at the end of the third quarter. Maryland outscored Indiana 28-21 in the fourth quarter as the Hoosiers got within 8 points on a couple occasions but Maryland answered the bell every time the Hoosiers made a run. “Maryland was much better than we were in every category” Moren said and “I question if we had the fight tonight” Moren added as she let her feelings known about her team’s performance after the game.

   Indiana’s three seniors were honored before the game with their families and then after the game there were video presentations as Karoline Striplin, Sydney Parrish and Chloe Moore-McNeil thanked everyone for all the love and support throughout their college careers. But a win on Senior Night did not happen and that is disappointing for the Hoosiers coaching staff, players and fans and now it’s on to Purdue for the Regular Season Finale on Sunday and build momentum for the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament.