A frustrated Teri Moren was the first member of the Indiana women’s basketball program to head toward the halftime locker room Wednesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall as the Hoosiers welcomed the University of Southern Indiana to Bloomington.
The score at that time was 43-29 in favor of USI –– due to simply lack of effort.
If Moren screaming at her players, as junior forward Lilly Meister disclosed postgame, is the solution to beating Southern Indiana, at home, this team just might not have “it.”
First, what even is “it.” Relentless physicality, toughness, grit and giving their all every time they step onto the floor –– that’s “it.” It’s what Moren coached teams have hung their hat on.
In the first half against USI, Indiana didn’t have “it.”
Look no further than the final possession of the first half. After junior guard Lexus Bargesser crossed midcourt, junior guard Shay Ciezki took about 15 seconds to make something happen. After a bunch of passes with no end goal, fifth-year senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil chucked up a 3-pointer that barely ticked the side iron.
It was just a lifeless possession during which Indiana had a good opportunity to get within single-digits.
But at the same time, credit is due to Southern Indiana for setting the pace and making the Hoosiers play the game on the Screaming Eagles’ terms.
Plus, Indiana didn't have good intensity. When that energy was a no-go, it had to rely on overly successful shot making. The Hoosiers lost the shooting battle in first half.
The Hoosiers missed 22 field goals in the first half. USI only missed 13. Plus, the Screaming Eagles shot 75% from beyond the arc, with eight makes. Indiana missed 11 three-pointers in the first half.
Indiana’s performance from the field did not make up for its lackluster facilitation on offense and poor effort on defense.
“Coach Moren came in at halftime and let us have it, we deserved it,” Meister said. “Loudly, direct, stern.”
Luckily for Indiana, the Hoosiers picked it up in the second half. Their offensive performance wasn’t even much better than USI’s, but the effort and intensity forced the Screaming Eagles to have less success from the field. The Screaming Eagles only made two 3-pointers and missed 17 field goals.
“I was obviously disappointed in our effort, I didn’t think we were focused, I didn’t think we were locked in to executing the gameplan at the level we needed to,” Moren said when asked about the message to her players at halftime. “I don’t think we fought, I didn’t think we were playing with much pride. All things we have to do in order to win ball games.”
When Indiana soon opens up conference play in State College, Pennsylvania, it needs to punch Penn State in the mouth, especially because the Nittany Lions are one of the weaker Big Ten teams. Heck, Penn State lost its best player to the transfer portal.
Ciezki will make her return to the Bryce Jordan Center after a tremendous two years at Penn State. She will be playing with a little extra juice when stepping onto the floor on Saturday.
But the point remains for each of the other 16 Big Ten teams aswell.
For example, Moren specifically said Indiana will have to face some amazing bigs with the ability to create a lot of production down low.
“We are going to play against some of the very best post players in the country,” Moren said. “We got to be able to respond, much better.”
This was a great wake up call for the Hoosiers. If they don’t bring their A-game and match the intensity level, never mind the ability to make shots on the road, it will be a long season for the Hoosiers.
Indiana will look to get on the right foot in conference play during its only early conference window matchup against Penn State at 1 p.m. Dec. 7 with coverage on Big Ten Plus.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Savannah Slone (@savrivers06) and columnist Ryan Canfield (@RyanCanfieldOnX) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
