'We Have to Regroup': No. 16 Indiana Women's Basketball Hosts Minnesota Wednesday Night

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Following a 27-point loss at then-No. 3 Iowa over the weekend, No. 16 Indiana women’s basketball dropped two spots in this week’s Associated Press Poll. The Hoosiers (14-2), who suffered their second-most lopsided loss of the season, look to regroup Wednesday night at home versus Minnesota (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten).

“We have to regroup,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said in Iowa City on Saturday. “It’s not the second year of the season where you can say, ‘Well, this is a good wake-up call for us.’ That should have already been done. I think all of us, we’ve got some soul searching to do.”

The Golden Gophers are coming off back-to-back Big Ten wins over Michigan and Nebraska — two teams that the Hoosiers bested by 20-plus points en route to starting 5-0 in the Big Ten — prior to the Iowa loss. Minnesota’s three losses were to now-No. 9 Connecticut, No. 2 Iowa, and an unranked Maryland that is top-30 in the NET.

Indiana and Minnesota are somewhat alike. Its losses are to good competition, though they’ve both been blown out twice. Five players have started all 16 games, they can all score and average close to or more than double-figures, each team’s free throw percentage hovers around 70%, and both sides have their go-to scorers. For Indiana, that’s forward Mackenzie Holmes. For Minnesota, that's sophomore guard Mara Braun, who averages 19 points and has gone 51-for-54 at the line, or 94%.

The Golden Gophers went 4-14 in the Big Ten last season. They’re already one win shy from that total under first-year head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. In-state players like Braun, Amaya Battle and Mallory Heyer all started last season as freshmen. Their decisions to stay at Minnesota has paid off. That’s where the teams are different. Minnesota’s starting lineup has one junior or older. Indiana’s lineup has one sophomore, Yarden Garzon. The rest are true seniors or older.

The Hoosiers have won the last six in the series, beating Minnesota on the road last season by 23 points. The last time the Golden Gophers were in Bloomington was two seasons ago, when Sara Scalia torched the Hoosiers with seven made threes and 26 points. Wednesday's game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall begins at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Peacock.

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