The Big Ten Regular Season Championship is on the Line as Hoosier Women's Basketball Takes on Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — No. 10-ranked Indiana will hit the road to College Park, Md. on Friday for its last regular season game versus No. 13 Maryland.
A Big Ten regular season championship is also on the line as the rest of the Big Ten teams finish up their regular season schedules.
Here is what needs to happen for the Hoosiers to take the regular season conference crown:
- Indiana, who is ranked fifth in the Big Ten standings needs to win its game versus Maryland on Friday to improve to a 12-4 conference record.
- Maryland needs to lose to Indiana.
- The number one ranked Big Ten team Michigan, will need to lose both of its games.
- Both Ohio State and Iowa will need to lose both or one of its games.
While Indiana will be counting on everyone else to lose, the team's narrowed focus includes beating Maryland on Friday following a 2-game losing streak to Iowa.
"We were very disappointed after Iowa, but what I told them is we're not going to be discouraged," Indiana head coach Teri Moren said. "Our message to our kids is we're going to hit our stride at the right time."
After playing one-third of their Big Ten games in 10 days, Moren was delighted to get a break for her group. When the Hoosiers returned to practice on Wednesday, so did a recovering junior forward Mackenzie Holmes.
"It's the first practice in eight weeks that Mackenzie Holmes has had, and when I say practice, I mean getting up and down the floor," Moren said.
Moren said Holmes is about 60 percent back, but she's seen her get more comfortable in each game following her surgery.
While she's not up to her old ways averaging above 20 points, she's still tied with senior guard Grace Berger as the team's leading scorers with 16.4 points.
To bring in the new year, the Hoosiers defeated Maryland 70-63 in overtime for the first win over the Terrapins in program history.
Sophomore guard/forward Angel Reese led the Terps with 22 points and still remains her team's highest scorer and rebounder averaging 17.6 points per game and 10.5 boards.
"She's a really good player in our league, and getting her in foul trouble is a good thing," Moren said. "She is susceptible to fouling. The thing where she gets you is on the offensive glass because she's so long. We got to keep her off the offensive glass."
Moren is confident Holmes can handle Reese in the low block one-on-one.
Going into the game, Moren said she encouraged her team to strive for 80 percent from the free throw line, less than 11 turnovers, 15 or more assists and not giving up 60 points.
However, this is always the expectation Moren sets for each game no matter the opponent, and her team knows it.
"Our turnovers will have to stay low," Moren said. "That's the one thing we did against them the first time around. Our turnovers were low. We controlled the pace."
The Hoosiers also want to be sharp when preparing for junior guard Diamond Miller who is powerful on the left-handed drive. Moren emphasized that studying the tendencies of Big Ten players is essential and reiterated that this league is too good to barely have any preparation time
"We've been dealt some pretty unfair cards here going down the stretch, and I think our kids have been resilient" Moren said.
How to watch Indiana at Maryland
- Who: Indiana Hoosiers (19-6, 11-4 Big Ten) vs. Maryland Terrapins (20-7, 12-4 Big Ten)
- When: 8 p.m. ET, Friday Feb. 25
- Where: Xfinity Center, College Park, Md.
- TV: BTN
- Radio: WHCC 105.1 FM
Related stories on Indiana women's basketball
- HOOSIERS FALL TO IOWA ON THE ROAD: The Hoosiers headed to Iowa City in search of redemption but left with the same feeling of defeat as they dropped their second straight game to the Hawkeyes 88-82. Senior guard Grace Berger fought hard for her team putting up 22 points, but Iowa's Monika Czinano outdid her scoring 31 points to defend home court. CLICK HERE.
- INDIANA DROPS TO NO. 10 IN AP POLL: Updated on Monday, the Hoosiers went from being the Big Ten's top ranked team at No. 5 to the conference's second ranked team at No. 10. Michigan jumps up three spots to No. 6. CLICK HERE.
- HOOSIERS FALL TO IOWA FOR LAST REGULAR SEASON HOME GAME: On an emotional Senior Day, the No. 5-ranked Hoosiers lose 96-91 to the No. 22-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes at home after a disastrous first half offensive performance. Indiana fought back coming within four points late in the second half, but the grit wouldn't be enough. CLICK HERE.
