Lilly Meister Patiently Waited ... Now She Gets The Chance To Show What She Can Do

In the transfer portal era, players who have to wait their turn might opt to leave. Playing behind all-time Indiana great Mackenzie Holmes, Lilly Meister stuck with the Hoosiers and is looking forward to her opportunity to play.

Indiana's Lilly Meister (52) shoots during the second half of the Indiana versus Michigan women's basketball game on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Patience may be a virtue, but it’s one that today’s college basketball players don’t always possess when it comes to their playing time.

With the existence of the transfer portal, players can and do leave if they feel they aren’t getting the playing time they want.

It would have been easy for Indiana forward Lilly Meister to pull the trigger on a move. During her first two years at Indiana she was understudy to center Mackenzie Holmes – otherwise known as the Hoosiers’ all-time leading scorer and All-American.

The Rochester, Minn. native would have been a coveted player in the portal had she chosen to leave. The 6-foot-3 post player was a top-100 recruit in the class of 2022 and demonstrated promise during her cameos as an underclassman.

It would have been so easy to go, but Meister elected to stick it out. Her patience should start to pay off during the 2024-25 season. Meister should see her minutes increase as she is Indiana’s most experienced returning post player.

“This is something that's been my goal ever since I got here. I knew what I was getting into with Mackenzie coming back for a fifth year. I knew I would have to be patient and that's done nothing but pay off for me,” Meister said.

Meister acknowledged that she has a greater appreciation for the playing time she gets and that she anticipates getting in the future.

“It's taught me just to value everything a little bit better. I think finally getting this bigger role is just a very big accomplishment for me,” Meister said.

Indiana's Lilly Meister (52) scores past Illinois' Kendall Bostic (44) during the first half of the Indiana versus Illinois women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s not as if Meister never saw action. She played 63 games over her career, starting one of them. He averaged 6.4 minutes during her freshman season. The minutes load was pushed to 10.5 in 2024, but Holmes was too good to have off the floor for long spells, so Meister had to wait her turn.

When Meister was in the game, she was very productive. Per-40-minute stats can be a useful data point, if used judiciously, for players who come off the bench. Meister’s averages would have been 13.9 points and 10.3 rebounds if her production was extended over that 40-minute period.

In limited time, Meister has exceeded Holmes’ brilliant shooting percentage, too. Holmes converted an impressive 65% of her career shots. So far, Meister has drained 68.1% of hers.

What Indiana hasn’t had a chance to show much of is Meister’s offensive versatility. One of the reasons Indiana coach Teri Moren plans to play a five-out offense this year is because Meister has 3-point shooting ability not yet demonstrated in a game. Meister has taken a grand total of two 3-point shots in her Indiana career.

Meister and Moren both insist the ability is there for Meister and fellow post teammate Karoline Striplin, an incoming transfer from Tennessee, to spread the floor and be a presence on the perimeter.

“It's been our main priority. I've been working on my 3-point shot since freshman year. The way we played these last few years haven't really given me an opportunity to utilize it – not that we really needed to,” Meister said.

“With the addition of Karoline, both of us are very good three point shooters, that five-out will be really beneficial. It can help draw out bigger defenders who aren't comfortable coming out the perimeter, and it's a win-win for us,” Meister added.

It’s not just about shooting. Moren has faith in Meister’s passing ability, another key component for bigs who play away from the rim. Moren also noted that playing against Holmes in practice for two years will make any post player better.

“She had to play against Mackenzie every single day and so defensively, she got better having to do that day in and day out,” Moren said. “But on the other side of that, she was also going against Mack offensively, so she had to learn to score in different ways.”

Moren noted that Meister will still take on the traditional role of a back-to-the-basket post option. Part of the benefit of having Meister is her versatility.

Iowa's Hannah Stuelke (45) shoots over Indiana's Lilly Meister (52) during the first half of the Indiana versus Iowa women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/ Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Another benefit is her defensive ability.

“I think that she understands how to move laterally and protect the rim for us. She can block shots without fouling which is important. She's a good athlete,” Moren said.

Whatever the duty happens to be, Meister is prepared to do for a longer period of time. She’s ready to be a regular part of the rotation.

“Playing for such short spurts, it's hard to find a rhythm. And I think being able to play longer is just going to be able to show my consistency with everything,” Meister said.

How much Meister plays versus Striplin, or whether they can play together in certain combinations, remains to be seen. Regardless, Meister is not only ready to play, but going into her third year with the Hoosiers, she’s prepared to be a leader too.

“I think I thrive when I'm a leader and I thrive when there's expectations for me. It's a spot I love to be in,” Meister said. “It's just something I've been waiting for and I really appreciate it.”

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