Indiana Women's Basketball Needed Freshman Lilly Meister in B1G Win Over No. 13 Michigan

Freshman forward Lilly Meister took over for senior forward Mackenzie Holmes when she got into foul trouble in the fourth quarter versus Michigan on Monday. Indiana head coach Teri Moren said Meister did great, and the team needed her in that moment.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana women's basketball freshman forward Lilly Meister is slowly and confidently making a name for herself in the cream and crimson.

The Rochester, Minn. native has played in 18 out of 19 games this season, averaging 6.4 minutes per contest. As a freshman does, she's living under the shadow of senior forward Mackenzie Holmes, who as the team's leading scorer averages 21.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Tennessee forward Jasmine Franklin (14) tries to get around Indiana forward Lilly Meister (52) during the NCAA college basketball game on Monday, November 14, 2022 in Knoxville, Tenn :: © Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

But Meister has demonstrated patience with a visible eagerness when her number is called. Before Monday's matchup versus No. 13 Michigan, Meister had played in three double-figure minute games, two of which were still non-conference.

Then, Holmes got into foul trouble in the fourth quarter versus Michigan, and the time came for Meister to shine.

"She knew her importance," Moren said. "You never know when your number's going to be called and when you're going to be needed, and the one thing about Lilly is that she's always eager and ready."

Moren said the Wolverines' defense actually had more difficulty with Meister than Holmes. Meister finished the night clocking in 11 minutes for four points, six rebounds and a career-high two blocks.

"I mean I'm tickled for her," Moren said. "She was great. Lilly did a great job staying vertical and using her size and length."

Indiana's Lilly Meister (52) shoots past Wisconsin's Julie Pospisilova (5) during the second half of the Indiana versus Wisconsin women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023 :: © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

She comes by it honestly as her parents Kurt and Angie both played basketball at South Dakota State, and her brother Lincoln plays forward at Minnesota-Duluth. 

While in high school, Meister was basically the Holmes of her John Marshall High School team as she averaged 22.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a senior. These numbers led her to become the Post Bulletin Girls Basketball Player of the Year as the second best player in school history registering more than 2,000 points.

A rising freshman with nowhere to go but up, this forward has the No. 6 best team in the country behind her with mentors like Moren, Holmes and fellow forward Kiandra Browne to cheer her on in the journey.

"She's stepped up and has played in some big time moments for us, and (Monday) was a big time moment," Moren said. "We needed her."

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• HOOSIERS - WOLVERINES MATCHUP NOTES Monday, the No. 6-ranked Indiana women's basketball team will head to Ann Arbor to face its fourth ranked opponent of the season in No. 14 Michigan. How to watch and match details are inside the story. CLICK HERE
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