IU wins ACC/Big Ten Challenge

IU Coach Curt Miller said Virginia Tech came into its Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup with a game plan specifically for Larryn Brooks.

The freshman guard sent the Hokies back to the drawing board.

Brooks scored a career-high 37 points, setting a freshmen record as IU defeated Virginia Tech 71-65 to improve to 8-0 for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

“It’s definitely confidence from my teammates,” Brooks said. “Coach Miller, he was out there telling me to make plays. Them just trusting me, it means the world.”

Both teams shot the ball poorly at the start, shooting 25 percent from the field four minutes into the first half. Freshman forward Lindsey Leikem’s 3-pointer with eight minutes and 40 seconds remaining in the half broke a streak of nearly five minutes without IU making a field goal.

As a team, the Hoosiers shot 31 percent (11-for-35) from the field and 31 percent (4-for-13) from 3-point range in the first half.

IU also dealt with foul trouble throughout the first half. Freshman guard Taylor Agler picked up two fouls in the first 10 minutes of the first half, while senior center Sasha Chaplin picked up two fouls in the last 10 minutes of the first half.

“She (Agler) never got into a groove offensively because of the foul trouble, but she battled when she was out there,” Miller said.

Senior forward Milika Taufa’s free throws with two minutes and 45 seconds remaining in the half gave IU a 26-25 lead. Brooks extended it to three with two free throws with two minutes and 10 seconds remaining.

Taufa and Brooks’ points were part of a 14-0 run to close out the half. Of Brooks’ 17 first half points, 10 came from the run.

“Late in that first half, when we made a run, it was a big deal,” Miller said. “We could just take a deep breath.”

The second half was more of the same. Freshman guard Alexis Gassion hit a 3-pointer to make it 17 straight points. Virginia Tech’s Monet Tellier broke the streak with a layup and drew a foul but was unable to convert at the line.

The Hoosiers led by as many as 19 points in the second half, outscoring Virginia Tech 12-6 in the first five minutes of the half.

The Hokies trimmed the lead to three points with two minutes and four seconds remaining off of a Uju Ugoka lay-up and free throw. Ugoka, who was originally an IU commit according Miller, led the Hokies with 32 points.   

Senior forward Tabitha Gerardot struggled from the field, shooting just nine percent (1-for-11), but made key plays down the stretch. With one minute and 38 seconds remaining in regulation, Gerardot forced in a lay-up and drew a foul. She missed the free throw, but grabbed the rebound and later forced a jump-ball.

“As much as I rode her all game, she stepped up with big offensive rebounds, big put-back late in the game to allow us to win,” Miller said. “We don’t win without her plays down the stretch.”

Miller also said IU would not have won the game without the crowd.

“The fans we had here tonight were terrific,” he said. “We couldn’t have won without their loud support.”

Miller said the victory is a big win because it’s an ACC win that brings the team credibility.

“There will be the naysayers about the schedule that we’ve played so far, but we’ve gone out and risen to every occasion with a very young team and won games,” he said.

Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1.