After winning two of its three games at Paradise Jam, No. 14 IU women’s basketball takes on the University of Miami in the final match of its five-game trip away from Bloomington.
IU knocked off the then-No. 5 University of South Carolina and Washington State University last week and looks to advance to 7-1 on the season.
The Hoosiers are 1-2 all-time against the Hurricanes and look to avenge their 89-75 loss from the last matchup between these teams in 2015.
When IU tips off Wednesday, it will have the first top-15 ranking next to its name for the first time in program history. Junior guard Ali Patberg comes off a week that earned her a spot on the Big Ten honor roll, averaging 16 points, three assists and six rebounds through IU’s three games in the Virgin Islands.
Here are three things to know before Wednesday’s Big Ten/ACC challenge.
Miami defends home court
Miami is 4-1 on home court with its only loss coming against No. 5 Oregon State University.
Counting this year, the Hurricanes hold a 76-19 home record going back to the 2014-15 season. Alternatively, they are 29-26 on the road.
In three of its four wins this season, Miami had three or more players in double figures. As a team, they average about 74 points per game with the highest tally coming in at 83 against Jackson State University.
Miami won its last home game against the University of Miami at Ohio, 80-62 on Nov. 30.
Miami’s scoring threats
Senior forward Beatrice Mompremier has scored in double figures every game this season. She averages 18.1 points per game along with 8.9 rebounds.
Mompremier is dangerous from every aspect of the offense, shooting 54% from the floor and 44% from three-point range. Her ability to stretch Miami’s offense from the perimeter to the paint makes her a tricky person to guard.
Also scoring in abundance for Miami are junior guards Mykea Gray and Kelsey Marshall.
Both have reached double figures four times this season, averaging 10 and 11 points per game respectively. Gray and Kelsey shoot well from deep and find teammates from all angles of the floor.
IU succeeds in defending Miami’s strengths
The Hoosiers surrender less than four 3-pointers per game while the Hurricanes typically sink seven. While the Hurricanes shoot roughly 46% from the floor as a team, Hoosier opponents are only shooting 37%.
Sophomore guard Grace Berger pickpockets defenders around the perimeter and deflects passes around the arc. She is the team leader in steals and 12th overall in the conference.
Berger is currently day to day following an injury against Washington State. It remains unclear whether she will playslack Wednesday.
Freshman forward Mackenzie Holmes continues to block shots down low, averaging at least one per game. Holmes’ presence in the paint will help keep Mompremier and freshman center Sydness Roby from taking over the lower blocks and grabbing offensive rebounds.
Another rebounding threat for IU is sophomore forward Aleska Gulbe. Her six rebounds per game mostly come on the defensive end, which would help against a Miami team that outrebounded opponents 288-233 in its seven games this season.
Gulbe’s status for Wednesday, however, is also unclear.
