After Unplanned Pause, No. 15 Indiana Set to Take Floor Versus Tennessee

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Teri Moren believed the best remedy for Indiana after suffering a four-point road loss to Kentucky was to get back on the floor as quickly as possible.

The Hoosiers' next scheduled game was a week from that day in Lexington, but that game with Butler ended up being canceled last week due to COVID-19 within the Bulldogs' program.

So Indiana was without an opponent last weekend, and the Hoosiers desperately tried to find someone to come to Assembly Hall on such short notice.

It was a difficult process, and Indiana wasn't able to find a challenger to fill in for Butler last weekend.

On Monday, the program announced it had negotiated with Tennessee to get the Volunteers to come to Bloomington for a game, and Indiana will return the favor and head to Knoxville next season.

The Hoosiers are slated to host Tennessee on Thursday 4 p.m. ET, which means it has been 10 days since Indiana last competed against the Wildcats.

"It was disappointing and frustrating," Moren said. "My entire staff was just trying to find a game. Our kids, just the disappointment they've had in this last week, so you try to keep their spirits up as well after only practicing. We're fortunate Tennessee had an open day."

Moren said it has been a disruptive nonconference slate so far, and Thursday's matchup with Tennessee likely will be the final nonconference game Indiana plays this season before starting Big Ten play.

The Hoosiers have room to add another nonconference game, but Moren said they most likely won't look to do so unless there's a long pause in Big Ten play where Indiana is without an opponent again.

In Indiana's last appearance on the floor, the Hoosiers led Kentucky by double-digits but let the lead slip away in the fourth quarter. Moren said she thought her team was too passive at the end of the game.

"Playing to win and not playing not to lose," Jaelynn Penn said. "We had the lead against Kentucky and let it slip away at the end. We've been practicing a lot of end-of-game scenarios and just being confident in those situations."

On Thursday, Indiana takes on another SEC opponent, one that has been historically successful.

The Volunteers are currently 3-1 on the season, and they are led by junior Rae Burrell, who averages 20.5 points per game.

Indiana and Tennessee have only played once before, and the Volunteers won that contest in 1987.

Overall, even though it's been a long and frustrating time off, the Hoosiers are excited to be tested again and get back on the floor.

"We're excited we have a quality opponent in Tennessee coming in here into The Hall," Moren said. "It's gonna be a 40-minute game, there's no question about it. This is a really good team, but it's a team that we need to play just to sort of jump start us for what's ahead, and that's Big Ten play on Sunday."