Byrne Breakdown: 3 Things Indiana Needs to Fix Before Playing Iowa Again in February

No. 14 Indiana women's basketball went to Iowa Saturday night and lost by 27 points. Here’s three things Indiana must fix before playing Iowa again at home in February.

IOWA CITY — No. 14 Indiana women’s basketball had trouble getting to snowy Iowa and did not arrive until game day, then got trounced Saturday night by Caitlin Clark and the No. 3 Hawkeyes, 84-57.

It wasn't weather that led to the Hoosiers' slip-and-fall on national television. Head coach Teri Moren dismissed the gameday travel as a factor, and the blizzard conditions outside did not affect hot-shooting Iowa inside packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

The Hoosiers were beaten by 27 points, their second-worst loss of the season. After a 32-point loss to Stanford in November, the Hoosiers responded with 13 straight wins. The Hawkeyes visit Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in five weeks, and here’s three areas Indiana must fix.

Play better on the national stage

Earlier in the week, Moren said the goal was to perform better against Iowa than the Hoosiers did against Stanford. That didn't happen. 

“Well again, disappointing,” Moren said post-game about the comparison to Stanford. “I didn’t think I would be sitting here having to answer that question. But we have to regroup. It's not the second game of the season where you can say, ‘Well, this is a good wake-up call for us.’ That should have already been done. I think all of us, we’ve got some soul searching to do.”

Both of Indiana’s bad losses to top-15 marquee matchups have been on the road, where it's more difficult to win. Yet the Hoosiers flat-out disintegrated both times in nationally broadcast games, and that can’t happen again. Even if Indiana lost by single digits Saturday night, that could have been considered an improvement. Games in this rivalry have been close for years. Now, Iowa undoubtedly leads the pack.

Last year, the Hoosiers' Grace Berger brought a certain stability and calm in tough situations. She could act as a coach on the floor for Moren. Without Berger this year, there is a void in that floor leadership. While Iowa's lead in the second half steadily increased, Indiana’s offense was stagnant and turned the ball over too often. 

The Feb. 22 game Iowa rematch in Bloomington is sold out, and the home crowd will help. But Indiana’s players must be more aggressive against the Caitlin Clark Show. The Hoosiers really, really rely on the three-ball to go down, and it didn’t Saturday night. But they also can’t be the type of the team that lives and dies by the three, right?

Iowa went 2-for-13 from three in the first quarter — yet still led by two points.

Protect the ball, find an additional ball-handler

Nine first-half turnovers Saturday night were a killer, and you can't have that against top-10 teams. Iowa was able to create far more possessions in the first half, which was the downfall for the Hoosiers once the Hawkeyes started nailing threes. 

Indiana sophomore Yarden Garzon had five of her six turnovers in the first half. Three of them were on travels, as she tried to do too much with the ball. Her height advantage enabled her to shoot over defenders and make three three-pointers, but the turnovers hurt and Indiana could not find its offensive rhythm.

"I wish I had the answer for that. She has not looked comfortable,” Moren said about Garzon offensively. “She has struggled, and we need her. And I don’t have an answer. She’s had some other things that have been going on, but we’ve got to get her back on track."

Indiana is lacking another ball handler besides senior Chloe Moore-McNeil. Among the starters, there doesn’t seem to be another option — who also wouldn’t be waiting on the perimeter to score. Sara Scalia is probably the next-best ball handler, but she’s also Indiana’s sharpshooter. 

Iowa, and Molly Davis in particular, did an excellent job of limiting Scalia’s looks on the perimeter. No shot was ever easy. And though the Indiana guard looked focused shooting beyond the arc in warmups, the Hoosiers are going to have to run more clever sets to get her open.

And really, that can apply to all of Indiana’s guards, who can all shoot.

Don’t double-team and don’t collapse on Clark

Clark began Saturday night 0-for-6 from three, precisely what Indiana was hoping to happen. But she made six threes across the next two quarters. Lexus Bargesser and Chloe Moore-McNeil defended the best that they could, but they weren’t able to stop Clark’s step-back threes five feet behind the line. What was more consequential was when Clark drove in the post and kicked out to wide-open shooters because of the attention she pulled. Clark had 11 assists.

Moren said before the game that Indiana knew Clark would score, and that stopping Iowa’s supporting cast was another main priority. The Hoosiers didn’t achieve that goal. All four Iowa starting guards reached double figures. Two of Indiana’s starters did.

When Iowa visits Bloomington next month, Indiana has to embrace Moren's approach to shut down everyone else besides Clark. If she drives, force her to make shots off of the dribble and maybe run into Mackenzie Holmes in the lane. Indiana did not play well Saturday, but Iowa had better shot opportunities because of Clark. Force Clark — alone — to beat you.

And if Clark leaves the game due to fouls, make Iowa pay. Not the other way around.

“Chloe and Lexi knew the assignment, and I’m proud of their effort,'' Moren said of guarding Clark. “There’s no doubt about that. It’s the other pieces that you’re frustrated by. Cait goes out, she gets those two fouls, and then it’s like Molly Davis takes over the game, and you’re like, ‘That shouldn’t happen, right,’ but give her credit. She took advantage of the opportunity and made us pay.”

Related Stories on Indiana Women's Basketball 

• WHAT TERI MOREN SAID AFTER IOWA: Here's the full transcript and video of coach Teri Moren's press conference following Indiana's 84-57 loss at Iowa on Saturday night. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA-IOWA GAME STORY: It took a while for Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark to get rolling, but when she finally got hot, she led the No. 3 Hawkeyes to an easy 84-57 win over No. 14 Indiana on Saturday night. The loss ended Indiana's 13-game winning streak. CLICK HERE