With a chance to claim first place in the Big Ten standings, No. 16 IU women’s basketball fell at home Thursday to No. 14 Ohio State 78-70. IU had not dropped a game since its 84-80 loss at Maryland on Jan. 4.
The Hoosiers took control with an early 11-0 lead and got off to a hot start, something missing in their games against ranked teams earlier this season. The Buckeyes, however, were quick to erase the double-digit deficit, and a back-and-forth contest ensued.
“We knew we had to start the game fast and well,” IU head coach Teri Moren said. “I thought we had moments defensively where we were really good but tonight it was just a matter of us not being able to put enough points on the board.”
IU and Ohio State traded baskets, ties and leads throughout the second and third quarters before the Buckeyes were able to separate in the final frame. They outscored the Hoosiers 25-16 in the fourth quarter alone.
IU’s most glaring deficiencies were staying disciplined and being able to score from behind the arc. While five Hoosiers finished with at least three fouls, the team committed a combined 17 turnovers and shot a collective 1-for-14 from 3-point range.
“I think all those things are just a recipe for a loss, especially against a team that has so many weapons,” Moren said.
Despite the loss and not playing to IU’s standard on multiple levels, sophomore forward Mackenzie Holmes and junior guard Grace Berger kept the Hoosiers in striking distance toward the end. They each finished with double-doubles in points and rebounds, and they combined for the bulk of IU’s free throw attempts.
Holmes and Berger’s offensive brilliance, however, wasn’t enough to counter the Buckeyes and their balanced scoring attack led by senior guard Braxtin Miller and junior forward Dorka Juhasz.
“Two kids can’t beat a team like Ohio State,” Moren said. “Mack and Grace offensively did what they needed to do to keep it close, they just didn’t have a lot of help tonight.”
It was a one-score game the entire third quarter before Ohio State started to run away with it. The Buckeyes captured their largest lead in the fourth quarter and built on it while they shut down the Hoosiers defensively en route to the 8-point win.
IU hasn’t knocked off an Ohio State team in its last 15 attempts, since January 2010. But Holmes said she’d rather forget about Thursday night while she can.
“We know we can’t hang our heads because we have a quick turnaround coming up Sunday,” Holmes said. “Anything can happen any given night, so you can’t take any team lightly.”
IU, 9-4 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten, returns to Assembly Hall at 4:30 p.m. Sunday to face Michigan State.
