IU women’s basketball fell back to No. 20 in the AP Poll on Monday. The Hoosiers went 2-1 last week to improved their Big Ten record to 9-4 and their overall record to 19-6.
The Hoosiers have been ranked in every week of the regular season and the preseason, making it the 15th consecutive week that they are ranked in the AP Poll.
IU started last week by traveling to West Lafayette on Feb. 3 to defeat rival Purdue 66-54. The victory finished off a season sweep of Purdue and allowed the Hoosiers to retain the Barn Burner Trophy for the fourth consecutive season.
IU did not have the same luck when they played then-No. 13 Maryland at home Thursday, losing 79-69 despite a double-double from junior guard Ali Patberg.
The loss makes it difficult for IU to have a shot at a Big Ten regular season title and a home court advantage for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.
IU bounced back with a 57-53 win over Nebraska on the road but nearly lost the game Sunday. The Hoosiers led by as much as 25 points, but the Cornhuskers came back to tie the game at 53 with 1:45 to go in the fourth quarter. However, a 4-0 run sealed the win for the Hoosiers.
Junior guard Jaelynn Penn’s 14 points and sophomore guard Grace Berger’s career-high 15 rebounds led IU to the victory.
IU will travel to Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, on Thursday to take on Illinois at 8 p.m. at State Farm Center.
