Indiana women’s basketball bounced back from two consecutive losses with a commanding 78-56 win over in-state rival Purdue, retaining the Barn Burner Trophy for the ninth straight year.
The victory was highlighted by a strong collective effort, with Sydney Parrish leading the way with 19 points. Yarden Garzon also impressed with seven early points and Karoline Striplin contributed solidly with 11 points.
Indiana came out firing, using its defense to fuel offense and capitalizing on Purdue's mistakes.
Indiana quickly set the tone with a fast start, jumping out to a 20-2 lead by the 5:11 mark of the first quarter.
Garzon hit her first three shots, and Parrish added key buckets to keep Purdue’s defense on its heels. Purdue struggled offensively, unable to generate any consistent rhythm as they battled Indiana’s defensive pressure.
The second quarter saw Indiana extend its lead. The Hoosiers’ defense remained relentless, forcing 10 first-half turnovers from Purdue, which resulted in 15 points for Indiana.
Indiana shot 4-for-7 from beyond the arc in the half. Despite a brief scoring lull, Indiana went into halftime with a commanding 40-18 lead.
In the third quarter, Parrish took over, adding 10 points and playing without her knee brace for the first time this season.
Indiana continued its efficient shooting, maintaining a field goal percentage of over 55%. Purdue briefly made a run but was unable to cut into the Hoosiers’ lead, as Indiana went on an 8-0 run to keep the Boilermakers at bay.
The fourth quarter saw Indiana maintain control. Purdue made a brief push, hitting three straight shots, but Indiana responded with an 8-0 run of its own to seal the win.
Indiana head coach Teri Moren rotated in players including Faith Wiseman and Veronika Kadlecova as the Hoosiers cruised to victory.
“Our goal was to play fast,” Shay Ciezki said. “We knew that was key, and we came out swinging. …Once we got that lead, we kept reminding each other in huddles to stay disciplined, make smart reads and execute.”
Despite the dominant performance, Moren emphasized the importance of maintaining their aggressive start.
“We came out aggressive, played with energy, and executed our game plan,” Moren said. “That’s the standard we need to maintain.”
Parrish reflected on the rivalry win.
“Winning the Barn Burner is always special,” Parrish said. “This game means a lot to us and our fans. We wanted to prove something after those last two losses.”
Even with the win, Moren highlighted areas for improvement. She credited the leadership of Parrish.
“Sydney set the tone for us today, showing what the Barn Burner means,” Moren said.
Indiana shot 50% from the field and 50% from distance (8-for-16). Purdue, in contrast, committed 24 turnovers and shot just 42%.
The win moves Indiana to 16-9 overall and 8-6 in Big Ten play.
They will now look to build momentum as they prepare for a crucial home matchup against Ohio State on Thursday.
