In Coach Teri Moren’s first season at IU, her team struggled to a 15-16 record. At the end of the year, the Hoosiers lost four players to transfer.
Growing pains and roster turnover are expected after any coaching change, and Moren had her fair share of both. But all the while, she was focused on changing her program’s focus and attitude.
Last year’s success made it apparent that Moren was well on her way to implementing the changes she hoped to see. The Hoosiers made the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Round of 32. Now, as she prepares for her third year in charge of No. 23 IU, expectations are high. According to Moren, the program’s culture change and on-court success have gone hand-in-hand.
“For the first two seasons, it was completely coach-driven,” Moren said. “My staff and I were the ones bringing energy every day and bringing everybody along. Fast-forward to year three, and it’s finally a player-driven program. Our practices are different. Expectations are bigger.”
That transformation is already becoming apparent. During one recent practice, starters and backups were alternating five-on-five runs against an all-male practice team, as they usually do.
When the starters were off the court resting, senior guard Karlee McBride was shouting encouragement and giving advice to the freshman-laden second unit from the sidelines. McBride’s voice could be heard louder than any other voice, including those of Moren and the rest of her staff.
At one point, Moren blew the whistle to halt play because an offensive set had not developed the way she wanted it to. Before Moren could even get a word out, sophomore guard Tia Elbert took over.
Elbert gathered the four other girls on the court around her instantly, gave instruction and some positive words, and Moren let play resume without speaking. When the players are driven to improve and succeed, Moren said her job as a coach gets easier.
“It’s made a tremendous difference right now in practice, listening and watching those veterans coach our young kids up, and not just leading with their actions but their voices,” Moren said.
Three of IU’s seniors have been in Bloomington for it all. Though they have two winning seasons and an NCAA Tournament win to show for their hard work, this year they hope to take another step forward. Those outside the program are optimistic about IU’s chances, too, as the Hoosiers were picked to finish third in the Big Ten in preseason polls.
Senior guard Alexis Gassion, one of the three players in her fourth year with the program, said rankings don’t mean much but the expectations will give the team motivation.
Gassion said returning to the tournament and making a deep run are the clear goals for the Hoosiers. She said the culture change under Moren has been positive for the team and program as a whole.
“There’s been a lot of changes. Obviously I have a different coaching staff since coming here my freshman year,” Gassion said. “I picked up pretty fast on it, and I know what coach expects from me, so I’ve been able to do what she wants.”
Junior guard Tyra Buss will lead the charge for the Hoosiers this year. Buss was the leading scorer on last year’s team and is a preseason All-Big Ten choice. Although Buss wasn’t recruited by Moren, they came to IU at the same time and have led the charge to rebrand IU women’s basketball together.
Buss said to her the change to a player-driven program has been most apparent in the team’s self-motivation. She said the players sometimes decide to come into the practice facilities for extra work and scrimmage time without even telling coaches.
“That’s really what I think is the best about this is that we want to get better as a team,” Buss said. “It’s not that our coaches want us to get better, which they do, but I think we, the players, just want to get better. We want the program to be at the top.”
