Hoosiers Now

Indiana Women's Basketball: Six Hoosiers Reach Double Scoring Figures to Beat Bowling Green

Six Hoosiers achieved double scoring figures to knock down the Bowling Green Falcons 96-61 for Indiana's fourth straight win. Guard Sara Scalia led the way for Indiana with 17 points while the team shot 58.8 percent from the field.

Haley Jordan

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana dominated Bowling Green 96-61 for its fourth straight win of the young season. Six Hoosiers scored in double figures led by senior guard Sara Scalia.

"She had a quiet 17," Moren said. "We know she can shoot it. We know she can facilitate it, but where we really have challenged Sara is on the defensive side of the ball."

In addition to Scalia, guards Grace Berger, Sydney Parrish, Yarden Garzon and Chloe Moore-McNeil and forward Mackenzie Holmes all added double figures, the first time Indiana has achieved this feat since 2016 at Northern Kentucky.

Parrish earned her first double-double in a Hoosiers jersey with 11 points and 10 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.

"We certainly continue to share the ball, get everybody involved," Moren said. "The pieces are nice to have because they can certainly fill in some holes when maybe some of those other kids are struggling."

Defensively, the Hoosiers held the Falcons to shooting only 35.3 percent from the field and out-rebounded them 47-28.

However, the Hoosiers' defense was compromised with 18 personal fouls. Moren also wasn't happy with the 18 turnovers the team committed.

"It was kind of self-inflicted, a lot of walks and charges, just us not catching the ball sometimes," Berger added. "We just need to focus I think on being more sharp and more careful next game."

In the first quarter, Holmes started off with two missed free throws, and the Hoosiers matched that with two missed field goals allowing Bowling Green's Nyla Hampton to get the first bucket of the game.

"Mack was pretty quiet," Moren said. "I thought Mack struggled by how we always see Mack. She very rarely misses those around the rim."

However, even on a slower night for Holmes, she still managed to get 16 points, eight rebounds and move into the program's top 20 all-time leading scorers.

Moore-McNeil got the offense rolling for the Hoosiers off of an assist from Scalia at the eight-minute mark.

Then, Moore-McNeil took off for a fast break and gave up the good shot for a great one and passed the ball to Holmes for a layup.

Hampton gave Berger no mercy on the full court press, but Berger's superb ball control kept her composed for a drive all the way to the hoop.

Soon after, Indiana forward Alyssa Geary got in on the action and hit a triple with just over four minutes left in the first. Scalia, wide open on the left wing, followed up with a three of her own off a Geary assist and a 21-7 lead.

"We had some great play off the bench," Moren said. "Alyssa Geary came in and gave us great minutes in the first half."

Bowling Green entered more than a four-minute scoring drought while the Hoosiers popped off for a 10-0 run. To finish the quarter, Scalia was fouled at the arc and hit all three free throws.

To start the second quarter, Garzon earned her first points of the night off a three-pointer.

"She has a high IQ as well, her ability to pass and make plays that not normal freshmen can make," Moren said. "She was a stat stuffer tonight."

The Falcons entered another scoring drought until guard Lexi Fleming made a trey of her own. Indiana's offense stalled for two and a half minutes until Berger washed up the drought with a signature jumper followed up by a Parrish three-pointer for a 9-0 run.

"Syd has proven since we started what a great shot in the arm she gives off the bench with her hustle and ability to score the ball and make others around her better," Moren said.

The Hoosiers finished with a sizable 49-21 lead while holding the Falcons to 24.2 percent from the field at the half.

The third quarter began with Garzon's missed three, but she followed up with a second chance triple off of Berger's assist.

Bowling Green went on a 5-0 run until Berger saved the Hoosiers with a layup. Indiana couldn't get much momentum going, and both Geary and Holmes were in foul trouble with three a piece still with a quarter and a half to play.

"We're going to have that a lot throughout the year, so we just got to get used to it and play through it," Parrish said.

All Hoosier starters came back in for the beginning of the fourth quarter. Around the seven and a half-minute mark, Moore-McNeil hit a triple to bring her into double scoring figures as she finished with 10 points and four rebounds.

Indiana ended strong with a 12-0 scoring run before allowing all bench players to enter the game.

Up next, Indiana will stay at home to face Quinnipiac on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. ET.

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Haley Jordan
HALEY JORDAN

Haley Jordan is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation video director, staff writer, host and reporter for Hoosiers Now, Fastball and Fastbreak sites. She is a graduate from Indiana University with degrees in Sports Broadcast Journalism and Spanish.

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