2024 In Review: Favorite Indiana Women’s Basketball Memories

Todd Golden looks back at his favorite Indiana women’s basketball moments from 2024.

Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes (54) celebrates in the stands with fans after second round NCAA action at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Monday, March 25, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It’s year in review time at Hoosiers On SI. For my part, when it comes to year in review stories, I prefer to apply a personal touch.

I’ve only been with Hoosiers On SI since August, but I’ve been around Indiana athletics for most of the 2024 calendar year with another media organization.

Now I turn my attention to my top five favorite women’s basketball moments of 2024. No need for a long introduction, so let’s dive into it.

5. Indiana Beats No. 24 Stanford To Calm Nerves

Indiana's Chloe Moore-McNeil (22) scores over Stanford's Tess Heal (34) during the Indiana versus Stanford women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When then-No. 24 Stanford came to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to face Indiana on Nov. 17, there was a rare vibe of trepidation that hung over the women’s team.

The Hoosiers had started 1-2, including an ugly 56-46 loss at Butler in the previous game. The Indiana backcourt was still undermanned with Lexus Bargesser injured, and the Cardinal didn’t seem to be a good matchup fit for the Hoosiers.

However, the worst fears were quickly washed away as Indiana had a revival effort that calmed nerves. Indiana was able to run with Stanford in an entertaining 24-22 first quarter, and the Hoosiers never stopped filling it up. Indiana’s defense kicked into gear in the second quarter as the Cardinal were held to nine points.

Indiana went on to a relatively easy 79-66 victory. Chloe Moore-McNeil’s 21 points were encouraging after a slow start, and Penn State transfer Shay Ciezki had her first impactful game as a Hoosier with 19 points.

The win set the calming tone needed, and the Hoosiers have been 9-1 since that contest.

4. Mackenzie Holmes Calls It A Career

Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes (54) listens during a timeout during second round NCAA action at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Monday, March 25, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2023-24 season served as a series of milestones for one of Indiana’s all-time greats – Mackenzie Holmes. In the same game against Purdue on Feb. 11, Holmes passed Tyra Buss as Indiana’s all-time leading scorer and became the Hoosiers’ all-time winningest player.

Her Senior Day game – a 71-54 victory over Maryland on March 3 – was bittersweet. She hurt her knee during the game, so while it was a celebration, there was also understandable concern about Holmes’ postseason availability. A 69-56 fall-from-ahead loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament in which Holmes played only five minutes didn’t ease those worries.

However, Holmes came back strong in the NCAA Tournament. She averaged 18 points in Indiana’s three tournament games.

Holmes’ final season became a collective appreciation of one of the best players to grace the Big Ten, much less Indiana. Holmes finished with 2,530 points, 990 rebounds, a career field goal percentage of 63.9%, and as a prime contributor on five of the best Indiana teams in school history. She was a joy to watch.

3. Indiana-Michigan State thriller

Indiana's Yarden Garzon (12) scores during the second half of the Indiana versus Michigan State women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

The single most exciting game I saw at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in 2024 for either the men’s or women’s programs was this gem on Feb. 8.

Indiana won 94-91 against underdog Michigan State. There were seven lead changes, but part of what made this game so taut was that both teams needed their best players to be at their best to make it the contest what it was.

Michigan State point guard DeeDee Hagemann (now at Memphis) was a force of nature with 19 points and 10 assists. Michigan State guard Julia Ayrault was seemingly unstoppable with 25 points on 9 of 11 shooting. The Spartans led 53-43 at halftime – a rare occasion where the Hoosiers gave up 50 or more points in a half.

Indiana, playing without Sydney Parrish, would still trail by 11 with 4:39 left in the third quarter when the comeback began. A Yarden Garzon 3-point make with 4:19 left started a 13-4 run that ended the period and sliced Michigan State’s lead to 68-66.

Holmes and Garzon combined to go 8 of 9 from the field in the final quarter for 19 combined points and Indiana shot 10 of 12 from the field overall.

Despite that, Michigan State didn’t go away and the game was tied as late as the 1:55 mark. A layup by Holmes with 1:12 left finally put Indiana up for good.

Holmes finished with 28 points. Sara Scalia had 21 points and Garzon had 20 in the thriller.

2. NCAA Tournament run

Indiana Hoosiers guard Sara Scalia (14) and Indiana Hoosiers guard Chloe Moore-McNeil (22) celebrate after winning the NCAA tournament second round game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Monday, March 25, 2024. / Bobby Goddin/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Indiana’s 2024 NCAA Tournament run was marked by exciting games, too. After the Hoosiers brushed aside Fairfield 89-56 in the first round at Assembly Hall, Indiana got a much bigger challenge from Oklahoma in the second round.

The lead changed hands 21 times in the contest, but when Oklahoma’s Aubrey Joens made a pair of free throws with 2:41 left to put the Sooners up 64-60, it seemed the Hoosiers were in trouble.

However, Indiana responded with a 10-0 run with Holmes scoring the first six points in the run, including the go-ahead layup with 1:17 left, as the Hoosiers survived 75-68.

In my pre-Hoosiers On SI period, I did not attend Indiana’s Sweet 16 game in Albany, N.Y., in person, but I can convey this anecdote. I was covering Purdue’s men’s basketball team in Detroit, and the Indiana-South Carolina game was on in the media room.

Most assumed that the No. 1 Gamecocks would have little trouble with the Hoosiers, and the 22-point lead South Carolina built seemed to confirm that belief.

However, as Indiana began to chip away at South Carolina’s advantage, the media in Detroit began to gather around the TV sets. When the Hoosiers sliced the deficit to two in the final minute, everyone in the room was fully engaged. Indiana eventually fell 79-75, but the Hoosiers went out with honor against the eventual national champions and had an exciting postseason.

1. Indiana Beats Iowa In Caitlin Clark’s Final Bloomington Visit

A view of the arena during the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

If the Michigan State game provided the thrills and Indiana’s NCAA Tournament run provided an exciting climax, Iowa’s trip to Assembly Hall on Feb. 22 provided the glitz.

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was the phenomenon of the 2024 college basketball season for either gender, and this was her final Bloomington stop.

Caitlin Clark’s Iowa career, as well as the Indiana careers of Grace Berger, Holmes and others, were largely defined by what they did against each other. The Hoosiers and Hawkeyes engaged in Big Ten Conference fights from 2022-24 as both teams were in the top five of the Big Ten in those seasons – with Indiana winning the 2023 title by a game over the Hawkeyes.

Indiana was 2-1 in Bloomington against Clark going into the 2024 game, so the Hoosiers wanted to maintain its winning record at home against her. Moreover, there were still Big Ten title considerations as Indiana was still alive in the race. A loss would knock them out.

However, this was just as much about the event as the game.

Lines formed outside Assembly Hall hours before the sold out game. Clark was the enemy for the students and long-term Indiana faithful – ironic that she is now cheered by many of the same fans as a member of the Indiana Fever – but plenty in attendance were there to see Clark.

Young girls were decked out in Iowa’s black-and-gold and Clark’s No. 22 jersey to see their hero in person, and they loudly cheered her every positive play. It felt as much like a rock concert as a basketball game.

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball against Indiana Hoosiers guard Chloe Moore-McNeil (22) in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Indiana achieved its goal of besting Clark and Iowa in an 86-69 victory. Scalia had 25 points and Holmes had 24 points. Clark had 24 points but was just 8 of 26 from the field.

Indiana’s victory made this No. 1 for me, but it is top-rated as much for how the Hoosiers rose to the occasion in the midst of the spectacle. It was also a celebration of women’s basketball in general – and Indiana’s important role in growing the game inside the state and within the Big Ten.

Related stories on Indiana women's basketball

• INDIANA WOMEN WIN SIXTH STRAIGHT: Wisconsin was routed at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall as the Hoosiers improved to 2-0 in Big Ten play. CLICK HERE.

• WHAT MOREN SAID: What Indiana coach Teri Moren said after Indiana's win over Wisconsin. CLICK HERE.

• PARRISH RETURNS, INDIANA BEATS OAKLAND: Sydney Parrish was back for the Hoosiers as Indiana defeated Oakland 90-55. CLICK HERE.