Hoosiers Fall to Iowa in Hard-Fought Women's Big Ten Tournament Final
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — For the third time this season, Iowa defeated Indiana on Sunday, and this time the Hawkeyes' 74-67 victory was for the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament championship.
It was Indiana's first title game appearance in 20 years, and they came up short against an Iowa team that has beaten them three times now in the past 15 days.
"I felt like we had some really, really great moments here in Indianapolis this weekend," Indiana coach Teri Moren said. "Obviously they're disappointed, but we're never going to be discouraged, because as I mentioned, I know this — they're one of the best teams in the country."
Indiana has overcome plenty of adversity this season. First, starting sophomore forward Mackenzie Holmes was out for a chunk of the season with a knee injury. Then COVID-19 complications forced the Hoosiers to play one-third of their Big Ten schedule in 10 days, ending their regular season on three losses.
They dealt with adversity head-on and didn't blink.
"I think that's what makes us such a great team," Indiana graduate student guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary said. "We don't let adversity bring us down, and we're just going to continue. We've got a lot of basketball left and that's what we're going to do whether there's adversity or not."
Indiana beat Rutgers, Maryland and top-seed Ohio State for the chance to face old foe Iowa yet again. The No. 5-seed Hoosiers performed well on defense, tallying six steals and slightly outrebounding the No. 2-seed Hawkeyes 36-34.
On the offensive front, Indiana shot 37.7 percent from the field compared to Iowa's 50 percent. Both teams struggled from the three-point line with less than a 22 percent average on both sides.
Senior guard Grace Berger and Cardaño-Hillary led the Hoosiers with 20 and 19 points respectively. Both made the Big Ten All-Tournament team.
Iowa senior center Monika Czinano had 30 points and 10 rebounds, giving the Hoosiers' defense a real challenge that they didn't always have an answer for.
"She's one of the best post players in the country for a reason, and she's surrounded by really good players," Berger said. "She's so good at getting positioning and making shots that she's hard to stop."
Big Ten Player of the Year sophomore guard Caitlin Clark scored 18 points, nine less than her average. Both Clark and Czinano made the All-Tournament team as well.
Cardaño-Hillary got the first layup of game off of an assist from graduate student guard Ali Patberg. She scored one more just two plays later.
At the eight-minute mark, Clark hit a three-pointer to put the Hawkeyes back in the lead. It was a game of back and forth ball as Cardaño-Hillary swiped one from a Hawkeye for a full-court layup to take back the lead.
"Nicole's been so terrific and she's been really good with that matchup (on Clark), that particular matchup," Moren said. "I don't know that Caitlin Clark would ever admit it, but I don't think that she enjoys Nicole guarding her."
Berger connected on a layup as part of a Hoosiers' 6-0 run while the Hawkeyes missed four consecutive shots in more than four minutes. Despite a lower field goal percentage, the Hoosiers felt prepared to attack offensively and get up good shots.
"We were confident that we would get good looks and that we would get the looks that we wanted if we ran our motion because we've gotten pretty good looks on the motion the past four days," Berger said. "We were confident offensively coming into the game."
With a league as talented as the Big Ten, shooting slumps don't last for long. Iowa took back the lead with a minute and a half to go off of a layup from guard Kate Martin. She then scored a three-pointer as part of a Hawkeyes 9-0 run.
In a competitive battle from the tip, Hawkeyes led 18-16 at the buzzer.
To start the second period, Cardaño-Hillary made two free throws to tie it back up. After a series of back-and-forth lead swaps, both teams missed five shots.
Iowa got back in its groove with Czinano's bucket to help put the Hoosiers in a five-point deficit.
"We see a lot of teams that struggle guarding her," Moren said. "The thing is she puts so much pressure on you because half the time she doesn't even dribble. She can catch it, and she shoots it so fast."
Indiana missed 10 shots before senior forward Aleksa Gulbe worked some magic from the three-point line for the Hoosiers' first triple of the game.
Berger took her time at the top of the key before driving to the basket for a last second layup to put the Hoosiers behind only 35-33 at the half.
In the third, Berger made an around-the-back pass to Patberg for a layup to tie it back up. Holmes did something she hardly ever does — hit a shot from beyond the arc, getting Hoosier Nation on its feet.
Berger fed off of Indiana's success and made two more shots before it was Iowa's turn for a 6-0 run at the four and a half minute mark.
Indiana trailed 51-48 at the buzzer with a rowdy fan base loud and eager to cheer them on into the last quarter.
Iowa pulled away by seven points to start out the quarter. Holmes drove to the basket and scored, making it a three-point play with the and-1 free throw.
Iowa built up a lead, but Indiana kept clawing back as Cardaño-Hillary drained a triple going into the media timeout with six and a half minutes to go.
With less than a minute on the clock, Berger fouled out in a last ditch effort to be a champion, but the Hawkeyes were seven points better.
"It was a great four days for us," Moren said. "We reminded them (the team) of that. The biggest thing is we have more basketball. There's maybe 300-plus teams that today could have been it for them.
"It's not the end for us."
Related stories on Indiana women's basketball
- HOOSIERS BEAT OHIO STATE IN SEMIFINALS: No. 5-seed Indiana brought down No. 1-seed Ohio State 70-62 in the semifinals of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament on Saturday afternoon. The Hoosiers will advance to the championship game on Sunday for the first time since 2002. CLICK HERE.
- INDIANA DEFEATS MARYLAND IN QUARTERFINALS: No. 5-seed Indiana defeats No. 4-seed Maryland 62-51 in a thrilling quarterfinals game of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament on Friday. Indiana didn't allow Maryland to score a single three-pointer. Up next, the Hoosiers will advance to the semifinals to face No. 1-seed Ohio State. CLICK HERE
- HOOSIERS KNOCK OFF NO. 13-SEED RUTGERS IN BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: A whopping five three-pointers from graduate student guard Ali Patberg led the No. 5-seed Indiana to take No. 13-seed Rutgers out of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. The Hoosiers will face No. 4-seed Maryland on Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals. CLICK HERE.
