Following a two-game homestand against Iowa and Nebraska, the Hoosiers travel to Champaign, Illinois, Wednesday to take on Big Ten-worst Illinois (8-15, 1-11).
IU Coach Teri Moren said she hopes the rest of the conference now knows IU is a major contender in the Big Ten, especially considering its 11-0 home record.
“We did what we were supposed to do this week,” Moren said. “Now it’s figuring out a way to go on the road and get our second Big Ten victory.”
The last time IU (15-9, 7-5) and Illinois played was in late January during IU’s perfect start to the season at home.
The Hoosiers beat the Illini in late January 68-66 in a game that came down to the final shot.
The game featured 12 lead changes and seven ties.
IU was down 11 points with 7:11 to go in the game.
IU responded with a 17-4 run that gave the Hoosiers their first lead of the second half.
Illinois freshman guard Brooke Kissinger missed a layup at the last second and IU escaped to stay undefeated at home and maintain its Big Ten standing, which is now tied for fifth with Nebraska and Purdue at 7-5.
“The challenge is going to be going in to play an Illinois team that we had down 11 with four to go and came back and found a way to win,” Moren said. “I don’t think they’re going to need motivation when we step onto campus. They’ve been really good without us having to tell them what’s at stake and who’s next.”
The only time the Hoosiers have defeated a Big Ten team on the road was when they traveled to Evanston, Illinois, to play then-No. 20 Northwestern.
That 91-84 win was also IU’s first road win against a top-25 Big Ten team in five years.
Sophomore guard Tyra Buss and sophomore forward Amanda Cahill both recorded double-doubles in the upset and both scored at least 20 points.
The two have also totaled double-doubles in the last two games at home.
Moren said she knows it’s going to take performances like those to win again on the road in conference play.
“You’ve heard me say it before, Big Ten road wins can be hard to do, but we know we can do it,” Moren said. “We proved that at Northwestern.”
All season, Moren and IU players have been preaching a one-game-at-a-time strategy.
This means with each game, coaches and players make the necessary adjustments to defeat the next team on the schedule.
With six games left on the schedule, this strategy has proven successful for the Hoosiers.
ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme has the Hoosiers projected as a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The last time IU made the NCAA Tournament was 2002. They have only qualified four times in program history.
After IU’s most recent win against Nebraska, Moren continued this sentiment.
“They don’t look down the road, and I know this group is thinking about Illinois,” Moren said. “There’s no question that we’re going to be putting our head down and thinking that the next game is the most important game.”
