The Indiana women's basketball team opened the 2026-27 campaign in emphatic fashion on Tuesday night. Teri Moren's squad rolled to a decisive 79-50 win over Florida Gulf Coast, giving the Cream and Crimson a solid first outing of the new season.
Indiana's next game is slated for Friday night against Southern Illinois. But before the Hoosiers take the floor in that contest, let's take a look at some positives and negatives from IU's first showing of the season.
Positives
Scoring depth
Scoring depth was a major strength for Indiana on Tuesday. The Hoosiers had three players in double-digits, with junior forward Zania Socka-Nguemen leading the way with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Senior Lenee Beaumont (10) and Iowa State transfer Alisa Williams (12) also had 10+ points. In total, eight players scored at least seven points. Here's a look at the scoring breakdown for Indiana:
Zania Socka-Nguemen* - 13
Alisa Williams - 12
Lenee Beaumont* - 10
Kenzie Hare* - 8
Malia Samuels* - 8
Jess Petrie - 8
Maya Makalusky* - 7
Addy Nyemchek - 7
Ashlyn Anderson - 2
Sydney Fenn - 2
Ashlinn James - 2
* - starters
Perimeter defense
Indiana put forth a solid all-around defensive performance in the opener. The Hoosiers held the Eagles to just 50 points and a shooting percentage of 29%. But Indiana was especially stout on the perimeter, holding FGCU to a 3-for-26 mark (12%) from beyond the arc. Indiana also controlled the rebounding edge 47-32.
Indiana's season-opening win streak continues
Indiana's victory on Tuesday continued its success in season openers. The Hoosiers are now 43-12 all-time in season openers, and have reeled off 14 consecutive wins in opening games going back to 2013.
Negatives
Turnovers
The Hoosiers controlled the game from start to finish, and led for 96% of the contest. However, that doesn't mean Indiana was without flaws. Both teams played extremely sloppy at times, and turnovers were a problem. Indiana turned the ball over 17 times, which is less-than-ideal to say the least. Thankfully, FGCU also struggled in the turnover department, totaling 19 on the night. With so many new faces on the roster, finding a rhythm and team cohesiveness on the offensive end may take some time. But with that being said, it's imperative that the Hoosiers clean up the turnovers moving forward.
Free throw shooting
Every college basketball fan knows just how important free throws are. Converting at the charity stripe can often be the difference in games, and can make or break seasons. Indiana shot just 15-for-25 from the free throw line on Monday against FGCU. That equates to a shooting percentage of 60%. That is not going to cut it. Indiana shot 80% from the free throw line last season, and being at or above that number this season will play a major role in the Hoosiers' success.
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