Indiana women’s basketball entered its contest against Princeton University on Saturday looking to go 2-0 in the 2023 Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-off.
While it was sophomore guard Yarden Garzon who led the Hoosiers to a victory over the University of Tennessee on Thanksgiving, it was fifth-year senior guard Sara Scalia who did so against Princeton.
“Sara had a special night, not just with her shooting, but if you look at her stat line,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said postgame. “It's pretty impressive.”
Scalia led Indiana with a career-high 28 points, going 10-of-17 from the field and five-of-nine from 3-point range.
The Stillwater, Minnesota, native got the Hoosiers on the board immediately, notching a pair of 3-pointers in the first minute and 40 seconds to give Indiana a 6-0 lead.
The Hoosiers totaled another 10 points in the quarter to begin the contest on a 16-3 run but allowed the Tigers to close the opening frame on an 8-0 run.
Indiana began the second quarter trading baskets with Princeton but went on a 16-2 run to take a 37-17 lead with two minutes remaining in the half. Princeton senior guard Chet Nweke and Indiana graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes traded a pair of layups apiece late in the second quarter before Princeton sophomore guard Madison St. Rose drilled a 3-pointer with six seconds left as Indiana took a 41-24 lead into halftime.
“At halftime, I was talking with our guys, and I told them that they were not going to go away quietly, and they didn't,” Moren said.
Although the Hoosiers dominated the Tigers in the first half, Princeton outscored Indiana 21-15 in the third quarter to close the gap to 56-45 with one frame remaining.
Although the Tigers deployed a press that allowed them to pull within 6 points of the Hoosiers, senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil made a pair of baskets to give Indiana a 10-point lead. The Tigers got to within 7 points but were unable to get any closer as Indiana held on to a 72-63 victory.
"That was a very talented Princeton team,” Moren said. “If I had to put money on it, I am sure they will be ranked at some point this season. They went toe-to-toe with UCLA, they beat a really good Oklahoma team and they gave us everything.”
With a 2-0 showing in Fort Myers under its belt, Indiana now sets its sights on a contest against the University of Maine at 7 p.m. Nov. 30.
“At the end of the day, our kids' toughness meter is trending in the right direction,” Moren said. “Our guys have been coachable, they understand what we're asking them to do, and they've executed our gameplan on both days."
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa), columnist Ryan Canfield (@_ryancanfield) and photographer Olivia Bianco (@theoliviabianco) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
