After a first half in which Indiana looked rusty from a week off, the Hoosiers’ improved focus in the second 20 minutes gave the team another complete performance on both sides of the ball. IU closed their non-conference slate in style with a 90-55 win over the Oakland Grizzlies.
The rust came off after a made jumper by Oakland’s Maddy Skorupski with 9:19 left in the third quarter. The Hoosiers did not let the Grizzlies score again for nearly five minutes.
This 19-0 run in the middle of the quarter showed what the Hoosiers can do when they are hitting on all cylinders. This was led in part by the return of graduate guard Sydney Parrish, who made two threes during this run after missing the last month due to injury to help ballon IU’s lead to 25.
“For her to be out there today and play aggressively like she did, that’s a good sign for us,” head coach Teri Moren said.
Another reason Indiana continued its dominance through the rest of the second half was its bench play. The five Hoosiers who subbed in combined for 40 points, highlighted by 16 points from senior forward Karoline Striplin.
“It’s a matter of us being confident that we can count on those guys,” Moren said. “They know what their roles and jobs are for this team.”
It was Striplin’s third game in a row with scoring 10 or more. She has found her place in Moren’s system since the calendar flipped to December.
“I feel like Coach Moren has been very instrumental in me feeling more comfortable here,” Striplin said. “Everyone brings a lot of energy into practice and games, so I feel like that only causes positive outcomes.”
Moren’s teams have not been known for their depth. Therefore, if Indiana’s bench keeps producing the way it has the last three games, then the Hoosiers will probably play eight to nine players each game. In the 18-team Big Ten, this depth could go a long way.
It seems as if Indiana has found their rhythm together this past month, as it has won five straight games and stands at 9-3 on the season. The winning streak will be put to the test when Big Ten play restarts next Saturday after a holiday break. The Wisconsin Badgers come to town for a 2 p.m. tip-off.
