Despite leading most of the game and having a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter Sunday afternoon, IU was ultimately overcome by Auburn’s swarming defense and fell by a final of 71-67.
The Hoosiers are now 4-2 on the season and have lost their last two road games.
This loss will surely sting, as IU had a rather commanding lead against Auburn for most of the second half.
“It was absolutely a tough one because we felt like we pretty much dominated the second half and then just let this one get away,” IU assistant coach Glenn Box said. “We just didn’t respond in the last couple minutes.”
After a back-and-forth first two quarters that saw IU have a 17-15 lead after one and a 31-30 lead at the half, the Hoosiers came out firing to begin the third quarter. The Tigers pressured the Hoosiers all game with a full-court zone press and ran a zone defense in the half court.
As a result, the Hoosiers were constantly pressured on the ball and appeared to face double teams at every turn. Because of Auburn’s tenacious ball pressure, shooters were often left open around the three-point line and along the baselines. As the second half began, IU took full advantage of the open space.
Junior guard Tyra Buss and senior guard Karlee McBride led the offensive charge in the third quarter. Both knocked down key 3-pointers and mid-range jumpers. IU outscored Auburn 22-9 in the third and took a 53-39 lead into the final period.
Another 3-pointer pushed the lead to 17 points, the highest of the day for IU, before things began to unravel. Auburn turned up its defensive intensity an extra notch, and IU simply wore down. Nine minutes and 30 seconds later, the Hoosiers walked off the court with a heartbreaking loss.
“Energy has been a big thing around our locker room the last couple weeks or so, and we just lost that,” Box said. “We had that vibe, that energy, and then they got a couple steals.”
The Hoosiers didn’t score from about the five-minute mark of the fourth quarter until there were just 25 seconds left in the game. By then, Auburn had a four-point lead, and the Tigers hit all their free throws down the stretch. IU finished with 19 turnovers.
Auburn seniors Brandy Montgomery and Katie Frerking were the leading duo for the Tigers. The pair combined for 49 points. Frerking added six rebounds and seven steals, while Montgomery was the fourth-quarter catalyst with 16 points in the frame.
For IU, Buss and McBride were the leading scorers with 23 and 11 points, respectively. Junior forward Amanda Cahill stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.
IU will play the second matchup of a three-game road trip when it travels to NC State on Thursday for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Box said playing tough and close road games like Sunday’s will help IU in the long run, even if the Hoosiers lose. However, Box said winning games is obviously the priority.
“These are still big games for us. We have a tough non-conference slate, and we’re playing some really good teams,” Box said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about getting that W. It was tough to lose this, but we have to learn from it.”
