No. 14 Indiana Comes Back to Beat Michigan State; Moore-McNeil Posts Triple-Double

No. 14 Indiana women's basketball (19-3, 10-2) trailed Michigan State (17-6, 7-5) at halftime Thursday night. But the Hoosiers rallied in the fourth quarter to win, 94-91.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — With seven seconds to go in Thursday’s classic, senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil stood at the free-throw line and determined where she would be in the Indiana women’s basketball record books. Make both shots, and she would clinch a triple-double with points, rebounds, and assists.

Moore-McNeil made both, and she sealed the come-from-behind 94-91 win over Michigan State. It was the fourth triple-double in program history, with Grace Berger owning the other three, and Indiana’s first in almost three years. Moore-McNeil finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. All five Indiana starters reached double-figures, as Mackenzie Holmes led with 28 and Sara Scalia posted 21.

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall broke out into “Chloe!” chants postgame.

Indiana went into the locker room at halftime trailing, 53-43, for only the second time at home this season. The other instance was Penn State, an Indiana eight-point win. On Thursday, the Hoosiers didn’t get their lead back until six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Their last lead was at the seven-minute mark in the first quarter. 

“You have to have the kids that are super uber-confident that they can knock those shots down,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said. “Because in a moment like that, where it is a gut-check time, you gotta have some cajones, right? You gotta be able to step up and say I'm gonna hit this shot for my team tonight. I thought there were a lot of big moments, big shots, where they had some big cajones, which was kind of good. It was kinda fun to watch.”

Assembly Hall longed for it, too.

In the second quarter, Indiana trailed 35-31 when fans got on their feet, inspired by Lexus Bargesser’s near-steal that pushed the Spartans into their own backcourt. On the same play, freshman Julianna LaMendola drew the charge in the post and yelled on the ground, and the crowd responded. Scalia hit another three-pointer to cap the 7-0 run, yet the Hoosiers were outscored by 10 down the stretch of the half. 

In the third quarter, Indiana got within four points but Michigan State added another bucket to go up by six. But the Hoosiers took the lead when sophomore reserve Henna Sandvik banked just her second 3-pointer of the season 30 seconds after subbing back into the game. On the next possession, fellow sophomore Yarden Garzon hit the game-tying 3-pointer.

Indiana and Michigan State combined for an absurd 22 3-pointers.

“I don’t think so,” Garzon said postgame in response if there were any nerves on the shot. “No (after Mackenzie Holmes chuckled beside her). Coach was behind me, she said ‘shoot it’! I’m really comfortable with my shot and I’m really confident in it, and I know the coaches are too.”

Once the Hoosiers went up 77-76 with six minutes to play, they never relinquished their lead despite two tied scores and the contest always being within one to two possessions. Indiana is now 10-2 in the Big Ten, 12-0 at home, and 19-3 overall.

The Hoosiers host Purdue Sunday at 2 p.m. ET and the game will air on Big Ten-plus.

Related Stories on Indiana Women's Basketball 

• INDIANA-OHIO STATE GAME STORY: The Hoosiers committed 23 turnovers, their most all season, and struggled to beat Ohio State's press in the five-point loss. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA-MARYLAND GAME STORY: Indiana began its two-game road trip Wednesday night at Maryland and won at College Park for the first time ever. CLICK HERE
• PARRISH OUT INDEFINITELY WITH FOOT INJURY: Moren gave an update Friday on the status of starting guard Sydney Parrish, who did not play in the win last Sunday at Purdue. CLICK HERE