The Indiana women's basketball team wrapped up their Bahamas trip with a 69-39 loss to No. 16 North Carolina, a game that underscored the challenges of adjusting without veteran forward Sydney Parrish. Injured during Sunday’s matchup against Baylor, Parrish’s absence left the Hoosiers searching for rhythm on both ends of the floor in Monday’s Battle 4 Atlantis championship game, testing their depth and adaptability.
Missing key leadership
Parrish’s absence was a significant factor in their championship performance, as Indiana lacked the leadership and scoring spark the guard often provides.
Head coach Teri Moren acknowledged the challenges the team faced in her absence.
“We obviously missed Sid today,” Moren said. “She’s one of our leaders and a vocal presence on the floor. Jules (LaMendola) came in and played hard, but it’s going to be another adjustment period. We don’t know how much longer she’ll be out, so we’ll have to figure out how to move our pieces around and gel quicker.”
LaMendola filled in for Parrish admirably, particularly on the boards, leading the team with 11 rebounds. While her efforts impacted the team's overall gameplay, the Hoosiers struggled to replace Parrish’s scoring and on-court leadership.
Offensive woes
Indiana’s offense never found its footing. They shot just 29% from the field and a paltry 15% from beyond the arc the Hoosiers fell behind to an athletic UNC team quickly.
Guard Shay Ciezki had a career-high 34 points earlier in the trip but was held to just five points on 2-for-8 shooting. Yarden Garzon led the team with 10 points, but no other Hoosier reached double figures.
Moren emphasized that the team needed to play with a greater sense of urgency this season.
“This wasn’t our finest 40 minutes,” Moren said. “We didn’t have the urgency level we needed, and that was disappointing. It’s a lesson learned, and we’ll need to respond when we get back to Bloomington.”
Leadership takes accountability
Senior Chloe Moore-McNeil contributed eight points and three assists but took responsibility for the team’s lackluster performance.
“That wasn’t us today, not at all,” Moore-McNeil said. “I take full responsibility as one of our leaders because I can’t allow that to happen. The coaches can hype us up and keep us positive, but at the end of the day, it’s on us to get it together.”
Moore-McNeil said their competitive spirit has defined their program under Moren’s leadership. She said this team is going to focus on building chemistry and improving with each game moving forward in order to win games.
Looking ahead
Despite the setbacks, Moren noted that the Bahamas trip provided lots of growth opportunities for her team.
“We made some improvements and grew a little bit here,” Moren said. “This group has always been resilient. We’ve faced challenges before—losing key players like Grace Berger last year—and found ways to bounce back. I believe this team will do the same.”
The Hoosiers will use the upcoming days to regroup and prepare for their next matchup focusing on integrating their younger players and adjusting to Parrish’s absence.
Indiana leaves the Bahamas with plenty to work on and the belief that better days are ahead. Indiana’ next game is at home Sunday against Maine. For the rest of the team, Monday’s performance serves as a reminder of the urgency required to compete at the highest level.
