On Thursday night, Indiana had a third-quarter spark that powered them past Rutgers and topped off a three-game winning streak. Sunday afternoon, Minnesota had a similar third quarter that brought down the Hoosiers.
The Golden Gophers came into the game on a three-game losing streak, yet they broke that streak against the Hoosiers with a 66-56 win.
Indiana made 15 3s Thursday night, and then, to start Sunday’s game, their first two baskets came from beyond the arc. Both offenses struggled in the first quarter, having difficulty finding their rhythm. Yet, Indiana's playmaking still looked strong, with the players staying patient on offense and finding the right shot. It was just that those shots were not going down as they usually do.
Minnesota committed six turnovers in the first half, and Indiana had 10 points off turnovers. The defense looked strong, with constant hands all over the passing lane, and it helped the defense tighten on every Minnesota player. But the full-court press by the Gophers hurt them in the first half as the Hoosiers broke the defense down.
Indiana went on an 11-2 stretch to end the first quarter and lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the middle of the second quarter, Minnesota caught fire on both ends of the court while Indiana went on a scoring drought. The breakdown from Indiana went from the end of the second quarter into the second half. Junior guard Shay Ciezki was keeping the Hoosier offense alive in the first half with eight points and finished the game with 12 points while joining the 1,000 point club for the Indiana women's basketball program. She is now the third player on this roster to enter the club.
Rebounding also was a very relevant issue for Indiana. They have the lowest rebounding average per game in the Big Ten, and they showed that against Minnesota. The Gophers dominated the glass with a 43-25 edge, including 10 offensive rebounds and 10 second-chance points.
“Rebounding has nothing to do with skill, it's how bad you want it,” Ciezki said. “Obviously we did not want it tonight.”
Key offensive players like junior guard Yarden Garzon were not shooting efficiently as she finished with six points on 2-for-9 shooting. Graduate senior guard Sydney Parrish also couldn't find her rhythm, having seven points on 2-for-10 shooting.
But what head coach Teri Moren was most frustrated about was Indiana’s missed layups.
“The missed layups is something you can't do,” Moren said. “You can't do that on the road. Those are easy layups. You need to be able to finish regardless of if it's with contact and especially when you're going with your strong hand.”
The Hoosiers went 9-for-20 on layups, some being wide open.
Minnesota had multiple players finish in double-digit scoring, with junior guard Amaya Battle leading the way with 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. But it was senior center Sophie Hart who took over in the third quarter, finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, and was a constant threat in the paint.
In the third quarter for Minnesota, the team shot 67% and outrebounded Indiana by 10-2. The Gophers found ways to get over almost every ball screen Indiana was setting, which led to them shooting 38% from the field in the quarter.
The hot streak continued for Minnesota in the final quarter, and they maintained control over the Hoosiers. Yet when there were just under two minutes remaining, Indiana showed life, made it a six-point game, and put up a full-court press that startled the Minnesota offense. But it was too late, and too many Hoosiers were in foul trouble to grasp the game.
Now the Hoosiers sit at 15-8 (7-5 Big Ten) as they go back to action Wednesday night when they travel to Ann Arbor to go against Michigan. Conference play doesn't get easier for the Hoosiers as the season progresses.
