Indiana Loses 24-Point Lead, Falls to Ohio State in Big Ten Women's Tournament Semifinals
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — In utter heartbreak, the top-seeded Indiana fell to No. 4 Ohio State 79-75 in the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament semifinals.
"I think it's going to sting for a couple days, but once we get practicing this week, I think we'll use it as motivation for sure and figure out how to get better from it," graduate student guard Grace Berger said.
Berger scored a game-high 20 points followed by three other Hoosiers in double-figure scoring. The offense was proficient as Indiana built up as much as a 24-point lead in the first half, but nine turnovers in the final 10 minutes off a scrappy Buckeyes full-court press plus Indiana's difficulty inbounding the ball made the difference.
"Once we get it across the timeline, we still had opportunities," Indiana head coach Teri Moren said. "We just didn't capitalize. We missed layups. It's going to sting for a couple days, but I think it will help us in the NCAA Tournament."
The Buckeyes also had star senior point guard Jacy Sheldon back on the floor as she had missed 23 games this season due to a foot injury. She played 12 minutes for five points in Ohio State's win over Michigan in the quarterfinals, but her showing today was stunning as she scored 12 points in 15 minutes of playing time.
"Their press, they did tweak it, and it was more aggressive," Moren said. "Jacy makes a difference because of her athleticism, because she's quick. She has great instincts. She anticipates all of it."
Ohio State finished shooting 35.6 percent from the field while Indiana shot 40.7 percent, but the Buckeyes' 14 steals as part of Indiana's 18 turnovers was a tournament death sentence for the Hoosiers.
"Ohio State is a superb team, and so are the other teams in the field right now," Moren said. "There's a reason why this is the best conference in the country this particular year."
In the first quarter, Ohio State struck first off of a reverse layup, but Berger hit a three in the Hoosiers' next possession.
Tied up with six minutes to go in the frame, the Big Ten foes traded 6-0 runs until freshman guard Yarden Garzon and junior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil hit back-to-back layups.
To get the Hoosier fans roaring, Rochester, Minn. native freshman forward Lilly Meister got an offensive board and hit the layup around the three and a half-minute mark as part of an 8-0 Indiana run.
The Hoosiers' offensive spark was just getting started as senior forward Mackenzie Holmes was literally quadruple-teamed but forced the foul for the complete and-1 play.
Ohio State ended the frame in a five-minute scoring drought while Indiana built up a comfortable 23-12 lead.
Moments into the second frame, junior guard Sydney Parrish hit a triple to force a Buckeyes' timeout, but then the Hoosiers didn't score a field goal for nearly three minutes.
Stillwater, Minn. native Sara Scalia started to feel that hometown energy as she hit a coast-to-coast layup to draw the foul for the complete three-point play and then hit two threes soon after.
"She obviously likes the Target Center because she certainly has shot the ball well in here in front of her friends and her family, which is great," Moren said.
"When we got her a year ago, we felt she was the missing piece that was going to be able to space the floor for us. Sure enough, she's been able to do that for us."
When the Hoosiers entered the bonus, Berger swished two freebies as the first Hoosier in double-figure scoring. Scalia followed up with her third triple of the game as Indiana led 46-26 at the half.
To open up the second half, Parrish hit another three. In the plays to follow, Ohio State quickly built up an 8-0 run as its triples started falling after going 1-for-10 from downtown in the first half.
Ohio State kept dialing it up getting a couple steals as it cut its sizable deficit to just 10 points with under four minutes to play in the frame. Indiana went scoreless from the field for four minutes as the Buckeyes pulled within four points.
After a timeout to regroup, Berger hit a jumper, and Moore-McNeil nailed a couple free throws to widen the gap. Indiana would finish the quarter with a 10-point lead.
Holmes picked up her fourth foul to start the fourth as Meister, who also had four, checked into the game.
With under seven to go, Scalia hit a three after the Hoosiers kept fighting off a tough full-court Buckeyes press.
Meister drew another foul and sank both at the line to keep a small Hoosiers lead with a hungry Ohio State desperately trying to claw back.
Then, madness struck. The Hoosiers lost their lead and had lots of trouble inbounding the ball as Ohio State's press kept getting tougher and more efficient.
"We were trying to get our middles to be more active," Moren said. "We were trying to get our back line. We didn't do a very good job of getting the ball out of our hands. We've allowed the trap to come to us, and that's one of the worst things you can do."
Each team exchanged the lead multiple times, but Hoosier fouls and missed shots led to Ohio State capitalizing on free throws and earning its way into the Big Ten Tournament championship.
Up next the Hoosiers will look forward to the NCAA Tournament selection show on Sunday, March 12 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
"Mentally we're tired," Moren said. "Physically I know they're tired. We do have some things health-wise that this period will be really good for a lot of different reasons, so I think we're all looking forward to just getting a little bit of a break here before the other madness starts."
Related stories on Indiana women's basketball
- HOLMES MAKES JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD NATIONAL BALLOT Indiana women's basketball senior forward Mackenzie Holmes has been named to the John R. Wooden Award National Ballot, perhaps the most prestigious award in college hoops. CLICK HERE
- HOW TO WATCH INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE Here are the match details and how to watch top seeded Indiana women's basketball versus No. 4 Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. CLICK HERE
- HOOSIERS TO PLAY BUCKEYES IN SEMIFINALS The top seeded Indiana women's basketball team will face Ohio State in the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament semifinals on Saturday. Buckeyes star point guard Jacy Sheldon is back on the floor after missing 23 games with a foot injury. CLICK HERE
