Yarden Garzon, Solid Defensive Effort Lift Indiana Past No. 23 Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Good things came to the Indiana women’s basketball team in several forms on Sunday at Iowa.

The Hoosiers had their best defensive effort of the Big Ten season and got one of the best offensive performances from Yarden Garzon and Chloe Moore-McNeil.

Indiana controlled much of the game against the 23rd-ranked Hawkeyes. The Hoosiers endured some mini-runs by Iowa but never trailed in a 74-67 victory at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday.

Big Ten road win No. 3.

Highlights from our Sunday win over the Hawkeyes. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/PIl8CzjLas
— Indiana Women’s Basketball (@IndianaWBB) January 12, 2025

Garzon made all five of her 3-point attempts – she had a sixth taken off the board by a pre-shot foul – and scored a game-high 21 points for the Hoosiers. Garzon only missed one of her eight shots overall.

She was confident right from the start. She sent the Iowa bench a message – giving them a look when she connected on her first 3-point shot.

“I just remembered last year here, and I didn't want it to happen again,” said Garzon, referring to Indiana’s 84-57 loss in Iowa City in 2024. “I just gave them a look to let them know that we are here and we are here to win the game.”

Garzon’s accurate shooting played a major role in Indiana’s 49.1% overall field goal percentage. Moore-McNeil played her role, hunting her shot as she scored 18 points on 6 of 12 shooting – her second-highest shot total of the season.

Sydney Parrish scored 15 points, her highest total since her late-December return from a knee injury.

“(Moore-McNeil) and Syd both were more determined today to come in here and not go home without a win,” Moren said.

The good scoring efforts went hand-in-hand with Indiana’s solid defensive performance. Iowa was held to 33.9% shooting – Indiana’s best effort since the Hoosiers held Baylor to 33.3% in a Battle 4 Atlantis win in December.

Iowa averaged 75.6 points entering the game. The Hawkeyes’ shooting percentage was their worst single-game performance since 2019. Only two Iowa opponents had held the Hawkeyes below 40% prior to Sunday’s clampdown by the Hoosiers.

Taylor McCabe led Iowa with 15 points, but Iowa’s top three leading scorers – Lucy Olsen, Hannah Stuelke and Addison O’Grady – were limited to 24 points combined, 18 points below their collective averages.

“That’s every night in the Big Ten. You have to have a tremendous defensive effort. Playing here, playing Iowa is no different. We knew it would take a tremendous effort from every one of us,” Moren said.

Yarden Garzon, Aaliyah Guyton — Iowa Hawkeyes guard Aaliyah Guyton (11) defends Indiana Hoosiers guard Yarden Garzon (12) Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana set the tone right away with a 6-0 run to start the game. The Hoosiers would never trail.

After Iowa cut its deficit to one, Garzon made consecutive 3-point shots to make it 14-7. When Iowa cut its gap to three early in the second quarter, it was Moore-McNeil’s turn to provide the lift.

She made a 3-pointer and a layup to kick off a 7-0 run that gave Indiana its first double-digit lead midway through the second period. The lead would peak at 34-19 before Iowa closed the gap to 36-30 at halftime.

Iowa would creep within two points early in the third quarter before Indiana responded again. The Hoosiers went on a 11-3 run that ended with 3-point makes by Parrish.

The 10-point margin would be maintained at the end of the third quarter as the Hoosiers led 59-49. Then Garzon took another turn lifting the Hoosiers to start the final period. A jumper and a 3-point play made it 64-49.

Indiana led 66-54 with 3:53 left when the Hawkeyes made their final push. Indiana struggled with Iowa’s pressure defense and a 3-pointer by McCabe with 1:56 left made it 66-62.

Indiana did not let Iowa get closer. A Karoline Striplin layup with 1:28 left eased the pressure, and the Hawkeyes would not get within a possession of the Hoosiers in the final seconds.

With the win, Indiana (12-4, 4-1) has put itself in a strong position to contend in the upper echelon of the Big Ten. With a 4-1 conference record, the Hoosiers put themselves in a crowded group of teams with one or fewer losses in conference play. It was also Indiana's third win over a ranked team.

Indiana also stuck Iowa (12-5, 2-4) deep into the Big Ten pack.

Another strong Big Ten team that has absorbed some early Big Ten losses, Illinois, is next for the Hoosiers. The Fighting Illini (12-4, 2-3) visit Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday.

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