Favorite Games, No. 6: Uncharted Territory for Teri Moren's Hoosiers in Elite Eight Run
Year after year under Teri Moran, things have been getting better and better for Indiana's women's basketball program. And on March 27, 2021 down inside the bubble in San Antonio, Texas, her Hoosiers made history.
On that night, the Hoosiers beat No. 1 seed N.C. State 73-70 in the regional semifinals at the Alamodome, advance to their first Elite Eight in program history.
A historic night, to be sure.
"It was so fun," Indiana star Ali Patberg said. "It's a memory we'll remember forever."
The Hoosiers had been building for this all season, but they had done it in relative anonymity because the COVID-19 pandemic had forced them to play in empty buildings all season. Still, they dominated in Big Ten play, going 16-2 during the regular season to finish second to Maryland. It was the best conference record in program history, too.
Indiana was a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, their highest ever, which was played exclusively in San Antonio with no Hoosiers fans around. Indiana beat VCU and Belmont to advance to the second weekend – also a program first – where top-seed N.C. State was waiting.
The Hoosiers played well throughout, building a double-digit lead in the third quarter. But the Wolfpack rallied, and one last chance to tie on their final possession.
But Indiana's defense, which had been stout throughout, made a stop, and history was made.
"We just knew we had to get a stop," Patberg said. "Coming into the game, I told the team it was going to be one possession at a time. We had an answer."
Indiana stayed composed during the rally, and held them off.
"We don't get bothered that they make a run," Moren said. "We just have to stay true to who we are."
"Who they are'' was a team that got a lot out of everyone most every night. This game was no different, with all five starters scoring in double figures. Patberg led the way with 17, and Mackenzie Holmes had 16. Nicole Cardano-Hillary had 14, and Grace Berger had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Aleksa Gulbe had 11 points and 10 rebounds
The dream season would end two nights later in the regional final, when the Hoosiers fell to Arizona, 66-53. Despite coming up one game short of the first Final Four in school history, Moren wants them to remember just how special this season was.
"I can't overstate it enough how proud I am of this group," Moren said. "What they've been through and what they've fought through, and what we've been able to accomplish."
What that win over a No. 1 seed and a trip to the Elite Eight proved was that Indiana's program had arrived among the nation's elite in Moren's seventh season with the Hoosiers. She was rewarded with a contract extension through 2027, and all of Indiana's starters are back for 2021-22.
There will be more fun times ahead.
Previous 'Favorite Games' stories
- NUMBER 10: Indiana's football team has struggled at Wisconsin for decades, so it was very sweet to go up there and steal a 14-6 win on Dec. 5, 2020 in quarterback Jack Tuttle's first-ever college start. CLICK HERE
- NUMBER 9: Armaan Franklin was having a brutal shooting night against Iowa in Assembly Hall on Feb. 7, 2021, right up until he hit the game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left to go. CLICK HERE
- NUMBER 8: Collin Hopkins hits a walk-off home run after a long rain delay to help Indiana beat Illinois 6-4 and end the Hoosiers' five-game winning streak. CLICK HERE
- NUMBER 7: Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has a game for the ages, throwing for 491 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-35 loss to No. 3 Ohio State inside an empty stadium in Columbus. CLICK HERE