No Mid-Major Messing Around As Indiana Women Wallop Bellarmine

Seven different Hoosiers reached double-figure scoring as Indiana dominated Bellarmine in a 95-61 triumph.

Indiana's Karoline Striplin (11) scores past Bellarmine's Skylar Treadwell (6) during the Indiana versus Bellarmine women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana’s women’s basketball team has courted trouble with some of the mid-major teams it has brought to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall this season.

Indiana was on the wrong end of a 72-68 overtime defeat against a very good Harvard team on Nov. 7. Harvard has since proven its quality with a 10-1 record entering Sunday’s games, but the Hoosiers were also challenged by Southern Indiana (now 8-2) when the Screaming Eagles visited on Dec. 4. Indiana won 67-63, but the outcome was in doubt almost to the end.

Bellarmine brought a 9-2 record and a six-game winning streak to Assembly Hall on Sunday. Would the Knights challenge the Hoosiers like Harvard and Southern Indiana?

Almost from the opening tip, the answer was a resounding no.

Indiana dominated Bellarmine with its best offensive performance of the 2024-25 season. The Hoosiers beat their previous season-high for scoring by 13 points and shot 56.1% on their way to an easy 95-61 victory.

Cream & crimson W.

Highlights from Sunday's win over Bellarmine. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/Cc58Zcuz70

— Indiana Women’s Basketball (@IndianaWBB) December 15, 2024

Seven Hoosiers reached double-figure scoring, led by Karoline Striplin’s 18 points. Striplin had her second dominant game in a row after she scored 27 points on perfect 12-for-12 shooting at Penn State on Dec. 7. On Sunday, Striplin was 7 of 10 from the field and added eight rebounds.

“Honestly, I just feel a lot more comfortable in the system now. I know really what Coach (Teri Moren) expects from me. I knew that from the jump, but it's a lot easier said than done, and now that I've kind of gotten my groove, I don’t want to stop,” Striplin said.

Another scoring highlight was Henna Sandvik’s 13 points. That more than doubled her previous career high of six points.

Indiana's Henna Sandvik (21) scores past Bellarmine's Rachel Shropshire (2) during the Indiana versus Bellarmine women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“We’re missing Syd (Parrish) right now, so everyone else has to step up. (I’m) just focusing on the small things: rebounding, bringing in energy. So I think that's what’s been working for me,” Sandvik said.

Moren was enthused that Sandvik had her breakout scoring game. She said it’s a tribute to Sandvik’s work ethic. Sandvik has been shooting it more lately – 15 of her 17 shots taken this season were in Indiana’s last four games.

Moren encouraged Sandvik to shoot more.

“I thought there were some opportunities at the rim (at Penn State) that she literally just passed up. The message was, ‘You got to also be a scorer for us. You have to be a threat.’ I think she’s a mature kid who’s been in our system, and she heard the message,” Moren said.

“We have a tremendous amount of confidence in her, just because of the work she puts in every single day. There’s no reason not to have that kind of confidence,” Moren added.

Yarden Garzon had 16 points and six assists. Lexus Bargesser, Shay Ciezki and Lilly Meister each scored 11 points. Julianna LaMendola scored 10 points. Overall, Indiana had 27 assists on 37 made field goals. The 27 assists are a season-high.

There was nothing Indiana’s offense didn’t execute in a dominant first half against the Knights.

Inside scoring? The Hoosiers (8-3) scored 26 points in the paint as both Striplin and Meister were able to score with ease. Striplin was 6 of 7 from the field and Meister was 2 of 3. Indiana was also able to get early second-chance opportunities to get into a rhythm.

Three-point shooting? The Hoosiers were 6 of 12 in the first half. Sandvik was a perfect 2-for-2, and Garzon also made a pair of threes. Four different Hoosiers connected from long range before halftime.

Points off turnovers? Bellarmine gave the ball away 12 times, and Indiana scored 15 points from those turnovers. That also went hand-in-hand with Indiana’s 12 first half fast break points.

“I saw some really good things that we did in the first half,” Moren said. “Just really pleased the way we shared the ball and the way everybody got on this thing.”

All of the above led to a dominant first half for the Hoosiers. Indiana led 7-0 early, allowed Bellarmine to close the gap to a three-point deficit, and then hit the gas.

Indiana's Shay Ciezki (10) passes during the Indiana versus Bellarmine women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

By the end of the first quarter, Indiana led 27-13. Sandvik and Striplin combined for 17 points in the second quarter, in which the Hoosiers were 10 of 13 from the field. At one point, Indiana led by 30 before settling for a comfortable 54-30 halftime advantage as the Hoosiers shot 67.7% before halftime.

Indiana slowed a bit in the second half but never let Bellarmine get closer than 22 points.

Moren had encouraging news on another front. Parrish was not listed on the team availability report for Sunday’s game. She didn’t play, but might have been able to in a pinch.

Moren anticipates Parrish should be available for Indiana’s next game on Dec. 22 at home against Oakland.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• STRIPLIN PERFECT IN INDIANA ROAD WIN: Karoline Striplin didn't miss any of her 12 shots in a victory at Penn State. CLICK HERE.

• INDIANA RALLIES PAST SOUTHERN INDIANA: The Screaming Eagles made it tough on the Hoosiers, but Indiana had the finishing kick to win. CLICK HERE.

• WHAT MOREN SAID: What Teri Moren said after Indiana's 67-63 win over Southern Indiana. CLICK HERE.