At this point, fans can expect IU to play its best in the game’s most critical points.
In Wednesday’s matchup against Iowa, the Hoosiers defeated the Hawkeyes by 9 points after trailing by 5 at halftime. The game before, they outscored a pesky Ohio State squad by 17 in the fourth quarter on the way to a 12-point win.
Saturday’s game against Purdue was no exception.
After not being able to shake off Purdue through three quarters, IU buckled down and dominated the entire fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
“As a team, we decided that it’s time to lock down, and we did the little things,” senior guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary said.
Combining clutch defensive stops with timely points, the Hoosiers outplayed the Boilermakers when it mattered most in their 74-59 victory Saturday afternoon. It is the fifth consecutive victory and eighth of the last nine over their in-state rival.
Per usual, defensive intensity drove the Hoosiers in crunch time. After giving up 22 points in the third quarter, their collective defense improved, and they only allowed 8 in the fourth. Purdue did not make two consecutive field goals in the final 10 minutes.
Early on, simple ball screens got the better of IU. Purdue guards Brooke Moore and Kayana Traylor used them to either penetrate the lane for layups or take open mid-range jumpers. Once a few outside shots went in, IU started cheating on them, which gave forward Fatou Diagne great position for post-ups on shorter defenders.
Down the stretch, IU’s guards were able to battle through the ball screens and stay in front, making the screens a non-factor. The Boilermakers forced passes and committed five fourth-quarter turnovers as a result.
“We feed off of the energy that we bring from defense,” Cardaño-Hillary said.
Not only does fierce defense energize the Hoosiers, it also allows them to play at the faster pace they prefer.
After a contested miss from Purdue early in the final quarter, junior guard Grace Berger corralled the rebound and pushed it ahead to a wide open Mackenzie Holmes for 2 of IU’s 21 fastbreak points. The Hoosiers’ bench erupted as if it knew the patented late-game run was about to commence.
“[Holmes] can outlast a lot of fives because of her commitment to run the floor,” head coach Teri Moren said.
Holmes, sophomore forward, scored 22 of her 26 points in the second half. After a miniature mid-season slump, Holmes’ efficiency around the rim has returned to being toward the top of the Big Ten.
She has already proven the ability to score inside, but Saturday’s game featured an extra aspect of her skillset. Holmes registered a career-high four assists, delivering great passes to teammates ready to score.
Specifically, Holmes found junior forward Aleksa Gulbe twice for easy buckets.
“We call it the Latvian-Maine connection,” Holmes said with a chuckle.
IU’s starting bigs combined for 40 points and seven assists, with most of the scoring coming in the second half.
The Hoosiers clinched the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and will play in the quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Indianapolis. The opponent is to be determined, but we know one thing for sure – they will make winning plays when they need to most.
“We’ve been playing really well together, and we’re hoping to keep it going,” Cardaño-Hillary said.
