IU used a balanced scoring night and stifling second-half defense to blow out Presbyterian 71-37 in the opening game of the regular season at Simon Skjodt Aseembly Hall on Friday night.
The Hoosiers set the tone from the opening tip, getting an alley-oop layup from senior guard Alexis Gassion to score the first basket of the game. Presbyterian led just once, as they took a 4-2 lead a few minutes in before IU reclaimed the lead for good.
Coming into the game, the Hoosiers knew they had to key on the three-point shooting of the Blue Hose. With four guards in the starting lineup for Presbyterian, it was apparent they would be living on the perimeter for most of the game.
The Hoosiers held the Blue Hose to 5-19 behind the arc, but junior forward Amanda Cahill said after the game that she thought there could be even more room for improvement.
“I think there were times where we had a couple lapses and were a little bit off or low in our gaps, but I think for the most part we did a good job,” Cahill said. “We knew coming in that they’re really strong from the three-point line, so we tried to really amp up our defense and ball pressure and take that away.”
Cahill carried some of the offensive load for the Hoosiers, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Junior guard Tyra Buss led the team in scoring, with 15 points. Buss now sits just three points away from 1,000 career points at IU.
Presbyterian played just seven players, and only six for a large part of the game. Junior guard Cortney Storey played all 40 minutes. The leading scorer for the Blue Hose was junior guard Janie Miles, who finished with 12 points.
Throughout the second half, IU ramped up its defensive efforts. They held Presbyterian to 16 second-half points, and only five in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers ended the game on an 18-2 run.
IU Coach Teri Moren said after the game that there were still some communication issues that need to be worked out for the Hoosiers, but she added that she was impressed with the way her team closed the game defensively.
“Last week, I was very disappointed with how we finished the UIndy game,” Moren said. “I thought in the fourth quarter we seemed like we were a little disinterested, and I wanted to see growth even though we had a lead. I wanted to see us play the whole thing out with a sound mind and a defensive mind.”
It was largely a lineup of reserves that closed the game for IU, as 12 players saw the court, ten of which played double digit minutes. Moren has said repeatedly leading up to the start of the season that the depth of the team would help them stay fresh.
The Hoosiers will play their next game on Sunday when Vanderbilt comes to Bloomington for a 2 p.m. tipoff. Friday’s win extended IU’s home winning streak to 15 games.
With Presbyterian being an 18-win team last season and Vanderbilt coming to town as a respected SEC opponent, Moren said she likes that the early part of the schedule is testing her team.
“We’re really excited and happy with our first win here at home, but I thought Presbyterian tested us,” Moren said. “That’s exactly why we’ve built our nonconference schedule this way, because I want to be tested.”
