Indiana women’s basketball defeated Nebraska 91-69 on Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena as Sydney Parrish continued her strong form. The senior guard scored a season-high 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting.
This follows Parrish’s productive outing in the Hoosiers’ 80-59 victory over Michigan on Thursday, where she played an integral role in a historic 36-point first quarter, knocking down three shots as a part of Indiana’s 13-for-13 effort. She finished the game with 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
“Syd got back on track tonight,” Moren said Thursday. “It was really fun to watch.”
Sunday afternoon provided Parrish with an opportunity to build off her red-hot performance against Michigan, as the Hoosiers traveled to Lincoln to take on Nebraska. She familiarly started the game, making three straight baskets from long range to give the Hoosiers an early boost.
“They had so much confidence in me that it would eventually go down,” Parrish said Sunday. “A lot of shooters just need to see one go in, and that will propel you in the next game.”
Parrish was an important piece in Indiana’s historic run last season to its first Big Ten Championship in four decades, averaging 12 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game from the guard position. An efficient shooter shooting at a 36.7% clip from beyond the arc, she was a perimeter threat for the Hoosiers to pair with forward Mackenzie Holmes’ paint scoring. She held her own defensively, averaging a team-high 1.6 steals per game.
Heading into the 2023-24 season, Indiana expected Parrish to do more of the same: be a scoring threat from the three while providing good minutes on the defensive end. However, Parrish has struggled to find the same offensive success showcased last season.
Parrish shot a combined 10-for-48 (20.8%) from long range in the team’s first 12 games. She struggled to find a rhythm from beyond the arc, resulting in her being held to single digit scoring in eight of those 12 games. Regardless, Parrish remained a valuable piece in a veteran Hoosiers starting lineup because of her willingness to rebound and relentlessness on the defensive end.
As Indiana entered Big Ten play, Parrish’s offensive impact was important to keep an eye on for the Hoosiers’ attack. With the Jan. 13 showdown with No. 4 Iowa looming, the Hoosiers hoped to get Parrish back into form as a shooter — and those hopes were answered.
Parrish’s hot shooting has been key in the Hoosiers' last two victories and her ability to produce offensively will be a huge benefit as conference play continues. Next up for Indiana is a mid-week matchup with Penn State at 7 p.m. Jan. 10. The game 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.
