Indiana women’s basketball traveled over 1,000 miles from Bloomington to Portland, Maine, for a Thursday night matchup with the University of Maine. In front of a sold-out crowd at Cross Insurance Arena, the Hoosiers found themselves in an unexpected nail-biter. Ultimately, it would take a major second-half comeback for Indiana to claw out a 67-59 win.
Maine entered the game with a 4-3 record, while Indiana had found some footing in the early season, earning wins against quality opponents in then-No. 19 University of Tennessee and Princeton University during its Thanksgiving Day trip to Fort Myers. The Hoosiers were heavy favorites before tip-off, but a determined Maine team had other plans. tip-off, but a determined Maine team had other plans.
Poor perimeter shooting was a theme for both teams in the first half, as the two sides shot a combined 5-for-22 before the midway break. Maine was the first team to find consistent scoring and it came from a rather surprising place — the paint. The Black Bears came in with a much shorter roster compared to the Hoosiers, yet Maine outscored Indiana in the paint during the first half.
Maine’s leading scorer, graduate student guard Anne Simon, tallied 25 first-half points in a performance that carried the Black Bears to a 37-29 lead at the halfway mark. Indiana head coach Teri Moren spoke highly of Simon during the postgame press conference.
“It felt like nobody could guard her,” Moren said. “And in the first half, nobody could guard her. Give her credit, she had a night she should be proud of.”
For the Hoosiers, it was graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes who kept the game within reach. Holmes, a Maine native, showed out in her home state by scoring a team-high 22 points. The AP Preseason All-American shot an efficient 9-for-11 from the field while the other Hoosiers combined to shoot just 16-for-47, a 34% clip. Playing in front of numerous friends and family, Holmes commented on the opportunity to return home following the game.
“To be able to come back here and play, it's just incredible.” Holmes said, “Seeing everyone there means a lot to me, and I’m very blessed to have such a great support system.”
Indiana struggled defensively throughout the game, as the Hoosiers were unable to contain Maine’s leading scorers. During the first three quarters, all of the Black Bears' 48 points were scored by three players. Simon led the way with a career-high 34 points and was a challenge for the Indiana defense, particularly in the half-court set.
“I think sometimes when our shots aren’t falling it affects us defensively,” Moren said. “And that can’t happen.”
Holmes was the Hoosiers' go-to weapon on offense, but it was another veteran who provided Indiana with a much-needed second-half boost to claw back into the game. Senior guard Sydney Parrish, who was scoreless in the first half, put forth a 17-point second-half performance to lift Indiana to a 56-54 fourth-quarter lead. Indiana led the game for just a little over eight of the game's 40 minutes, but it was enough to fend off a scrappy Maine team.
There are a plethora of takeaways from an up-and-down Hoosier performance but, all in all, Indiana will be content to take the flight back home with a victory.
“Give our kids credit for playing a much better second half,” Moren said. “We knew they were going to be a challenge. Winning is hard, and we’re going to get everyone’s best.”
The Hoosiers will be back in action on Sunday when they host a struggling Stetson University at home in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. That matchup will tip-off at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten+.
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.
