Hoosier State of Mind
Fansided

Indiana Women's Basketball: Today's loss likely cost them the regular season title.

Indiana played its worst game of the season this afternoon against the Illinois Fighting Illini. Although Indiana likely won't win the regular season title, they have their sights set on the Big Ten Conference Tournament and March Madness.

By Dante Pryor

Indiana's Chloe Moore-McNeil (22) is blocked by Illinois' Makira Cook (3) during the second half of the game.
Indiana's Chloe Moore-McNeil (22) is blocked by Illinois' Makira Cook (3) during the second half of the game. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY
facebooktwitterreddit

Today was one of those days. Everything Indiana (21-4, 13-3) does well went wrong. The Hoosiers are the best shooting team in college basketball, leading the country in field goal percentage (51.94) and three-point field goal percentage (41.43). Today, the Hoosiers shot under 50 percent from the field and a meager 30 percent from three-point range.

Indiana usually takes care of the basketball-- though they've turned it over more recently- and- committed 14 turnovers this afternoon. This was just the third time that Indiana faced a double-digit halftime deficit all season. They lost against Stanford but defeated Michigan State.

Mackenzie Holmes had 24 points but was neutralized on the boards with just two rebounds. She also found herself in foul trouble in the second half. The bench, which had been productive recently, had two points in 24 total minutes.

Illinois, on the other hand, is playing its best basketball of the season. Every shot that rimmed out at the beginning of the season is falling. Guards Makira Cook and Genesis Bryant look like one of the best backcourts in the conference.

Forward Kendall Bostic continues to be a double-double machine, with 12 points and 11 rebounds tonight. Illinois' ability to run bothered Indiana, much like Michigan State, Ohio State, and Iowa did earlier this season. That could be a concern for Teri Moren's squad in the future.

Every team has a bad game. The timing of this game couldn't have been worse. Indiana is playing for seeding in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. They have an opportunity to be a two-seed in the Big Ten Tournament if they can defeat Iowa this Thursday. One thing they have going for them is quality losses.

In addition to their loss tonight, they have losses to Stanford, Iowa, and Ohio State. Maybe a run in the Big Ten Tournament is enough for a one-seed, but tonight's loss did them no favors.

Home/Indiana Basketball