Indiana Women's Basketball to Play Iowa in Top 5 Matchup at Home
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Thursday night, No. 2 Indiana women's basketball will host No. 5 Iowa for the first time in three decades where two top five Big Ten teams will battle it out.
The Hawkeyes are currently on an eight-game winning streak including wins over three ranked opponents in Ohio State, Maryland and Michigan.
Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year junior guard Caitlin Clark is leading the Hawkeyes with 27.6 points per game and is the leading scorer in the whole conference. Hoosier forward Mackenzie Holmes is about five points behind her on the list for second place.
Fifth year center Monika Czinano is contributing 18.3 points per game for the Hawkeyes and totals 6.3 boards behind Clark's team-high eight rebounds per game.
"They're terrific players, and you're not going to keep them from scoring, but we just have to be true to who we are and lock in on the game plan and lock in on each one of those players, give them different looks, control the boards, control the pace of the game, take good shots, not have any live ball turnovers where they can get run outs, because they like to run as well, " Indiana head coach Teri Moren said.
This whole season Holmes, as Indiana's leading scorer with 22 points per game, has been double teamed, but Moren said she's not so sure Iowa will bring the double against Holmes.
"I think they've felt like Monika can guard Mack one on one," she said. "Take out last year, and Mack and Monika have always had really good matchups against each other."
Last season, Indiana lost all three games to Iowa, but Holmes was still in the process of recovering from a left knee injury that required her to miss eight matches.
"I'm just grateful this game is being played where we do have healthy pieces," Moren said. "We're not having to play and then turn around the next day and jump on a flight and play them again a day later and that whole scenario we got caught up in last year."
Iowa currently has the best offense in the conference averaging 88 points per game while Indiana comes in at No. 3 with 81.3 per contest. However, the Hoosiers' defense is ranked No. 1 as it holds opponents to 59.6 points per game. Iowa's defense ranks ninth as it allows its foes 70.6 per contest.
Moren said this year, the team is going to have to throw different looks at Czinano, who's going to be the recipient of Clark's passes to complete their two-headed monster threat.
Moren said Iowa's surrounding pieces, like freshman forward Hannah Stuelke, have been great off the bench as Stuelke averages 7.4 points.
"A lot of the things that are going to have to happen in the game tomorrow in my opinion are not going to be things that you find on a stat sheet," Moren said.
Moren challenged Hoosier Nation to show up for the Hoosiers as she expects another great crowd for the first regular season matchup between top five Big Ten foes since 1993.
"I'm really proud of this team, and I know we have a long haul ahead of us, probably the most difficult stretch of any of the Big Ten teams, but I'm really proud of what we've been able to accomplish with a group that's really selfless, hardworking, blue collar women," Moren said.
How to Watch Iowa vs. Indiana
- Who: No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes (19-4)(11-1) vs. No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers (22-1)(12-1)
- When: Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, 6:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall — Bloomington, Ind.
- Broadcast: BTN
- Radio: WHCC 105.1
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