Southern Indiana Provides Scare, But Indiana Women Rally For 67-63 Win

Indiana coach Teri Moren’s halftime words inspired a much better effort from the Hoosiers in the second half.

Indiana's Shay Ciezki (10) is fouled by Southern Indiana's Amiyah Buchanan (24) during the Indiana versus Southern Indiana women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – In a season characterized by peaks and valleys - Indiana has beaten two ranked teams and lost to two unranked opponents - it seemed the Indiana’s women’s basketball team had detoured into its deepest valley yet at halftime on Wednesday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Nothing was going right. Indiana could not solve a suffocating Southern Indiana half-court defense that showed both man and zone. The Screaming Eagles’ pressure was taking a toll too.

Indiana’s defense – typically dependable – was not in evidence as Southern Indiana converted 56.7% of its first half attempts.

The Screaming Eagles led by 13 at halftime and nothing the Hoosiers showed in the first half demonstrated that they’d be up for a second-half revival.

Indiana coach Teri Moren sensed trouble – so she made her thoughts known in no uncertain way to her team.

“Coach Moren at halftime let us have it. We deserved it – rightfully so,” Indiana forward Lilly Meister said. “We took it to heart."

“It was loud,” Indiana guard Shay Ciezki said.

The message got through. Indiana’s defense transformed itself in the second half. The Screaming Eagles only scored 23 in the second half and Indiana attacked their defense with more gusto. Indiana pushed itself over the top to earn a 67-63 triumph in front of 10,322 fans.

Moren wishes she didn’t have to deliver a pointed message to her team, but it was crystal clear to her that the Hoosiers were well off their expected standard.

“I didn't think we were focused. I didn't think we were locked in to executing the game plan at the level we needed to. I didn't think we fought. I didn't think we were playing with much pride,” Moren said.

Moren wants her teams to be defined by their defense and the Hoosiers were able to conjure what she wished after Southern Indiana bossed the game in the first half.

In the second half, the Screaming Eagles made only eight field goals on their way to a 32% shooting performance after the break.

“I’m old school. You hang the hat on the defensive side of the ball. If it's low scoring, it's low scoring. You still give yourself a chance if you can execute the defensive plan,” Moren said. “The silver lining is that they did fight their way back into the game.”

Indiana's Lilly Meister (52) battles with Southern Indiana's Madi Webb (25) for a loose ball during the Indiana versus Southern Indiana women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana (6-3) started well with a 12-2 lead four minutes into the game, but then Southern Indiana’s defense began to have serious bite. For the remainder of the half, the Hoosiers would make just 5 of 20 from the field. Included was a stretch where Indiana missed 12 of 13 from the floor.

Southern Indiana found its rhythm at the same time. The Screaming Eagles made 16 of their last 24 shots of the half, including six 3-point shots.

Southern Indiana (7-2) has seven Indiana natives on its roster – five of whom contributed to the Screaming Eagles’ surge. That was not lost on Moren.

“These guys are not they're not afraid of you guys,” Moren said on her message to her team before the game.

“We just didn't respond the way I thought we would in the first half. So I had to get in to them pretty good and question whether or not they were ready to fight in the second half,” Moren added.

Indiana trailed 42-29 at halftime, but after Moren read the riot act at halftime, the Hoosiers played with more urgency in the second half.

Indiana's Yarden Garzon (12) looks to shoot over Southern Indiana's Triniti Ralston (4) during the Indiana versus Southern Indiana women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Hoosiers outscored the Screaming Eagles 19-9 in the third quarter and twice pulled even with Southern Indiana. Indiana tied the game again at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Hoosiers didn’t get in front until Henna Sandvik hit a 3-pointer with 7:02 left.

Indiana pushed its advantage to five, but couldn’t break free from the Screaming Eagles, who stayed within a possession of the Hoosiers into the final minute.

The shot that finally broke Southern Indiana for good was a Ciezki corner 3-pointer with 26 seconds left to put Indiana up 63-59. Southern Indiana would not get closer than a three-point deficit for the remainder of the game.

“We're just a gritty team. We’re not just going to lay down and fold,” Ciezki said.

Ciezki led Indiana with 17 points. Yarden Garzon added 14 points and Chloe Moore-McNeil had 13 points. Ali Saunders paced Southern Indiana with 14 points.

Indiana played without Lenee Beaumont and Sydney Parrish again. Julianna LaMendola started the game but was slowed by stomach illness.

Indiana next opens Big Ten play at Ciezki’s former school, Penn State, at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday.

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