Lilly Meister Leap Year Inbound?
Anytime you are the primary backup to a legend of Mackenzie Holmes's magnitude, overshadowment is inevitable. Take the case of returning Indiana junior-to-be Lilly Meister.
Through her first 2 NCAA seasons and 63 NCAA games played, Meister has amassed nightly averages of 8.5 MPG, 3.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG and 0.5 BPG while shooting 71.4% from the field (79/116), 50.0% from 3-point range (1/2), and 71.6% from the free throw line (33/46). Meister's numbers are far from magnificent, but her efficiency and intelligence on the floor were a pleasant piece of last season's rotation.
While Meister should certainly fit snuggly into Teri Moren's rotational plans for the season to come, she will have her work cut out for her when it comes to earning an amplified role in 2024-2025. New bouldering big Karoline Striplin is now in town, and brings a ton of physicality and experience from her tenure at Tennessee. Incoming freshman Faith Wiseman and Sydney Fenn bring a polarizing mix of versatility and size from the frontcourt, and that is not to mention that Sharnecce Currie-Jelks will be back in the mix after sitting out last season to tend to much more important matters. Many people forget that SCJ put up eye-popping numbers of 15.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.4 SPG and 1.0 BPG during her freshman season at Tennessee-Martin back in 2022-2023.
Regardless of the deep level of competition which lies ahead for Meister, she has exhibited a consistent sense of steadiness so far as a Hoosier. She never tries to force things offensively, and moves up and down the floor gracefully. Defensively, her length creates problems for all those who penetrate into the paint while she is on patrol.
Meister has certainly earned her keep up to this point at Indiana, and has consistently filled her role effectively as a backup big who does her job quietly under the radar. Could 2024-2025 be the season that she breaks through and garners an increased share of the spotlight? The answer to that question will be deciphered in the months to come.
Keep going, Lilly!