After notching a dominant 22-point victory over in-state rival Purdue, Indiana women’s basketball had four days before beginning a critical three-game stretch as the end of the regular season nears.
The Hoosiers won the first of three consecutive Quad 1 matchups, defeating No. 8 Ohio State 71-61 on Thursday inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Cream and Crimson now hold a 17-9 overall record and 9-6 mark in conference play.
Both squads traded buckets over the first two and half minutes before the Hoosiers went on a 6-0 run. They finished the first quarter on a 5-0 run to take a 9-point advantage into the second quarter.
However, the Buckeyes responded with 9 consecutive points to tie the contest at 26, forcing Indiana head coach Teri Moren into calling a timeout just two and a half minutes into the second quarter.
Moren’s timeout halted Ohio State’s spurt as her squad rattled off 8 points to regain their lead. The Hoosiers then added another 6 points in a row to finish the first half on a 14-2 run and hold a 12-point lead.
Graduate student guard Sydney Parrish paced Indiana in the first half, scoring 13 points while Ohio State junior guard Cotie McMahon notched 10 points in the half. The Hoosiers shot 62.5% from the field and from 3-point range.
Indiana continued to assert itself over Ohio State in the second half, outscoring the Buckeyes by 7 points in the third quarter to take a 57-39 lead into the final period.
Ohio State outscored Indiana by 8 points in the fourth quarter, however, the Hoosiers secured a 10-point victory even with their 21 turnovers.
Ohio State freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge led all scorers with 18 points as junior guards Yarden Garzon, Shay Ciezki and Parrish all notched 16 points apiece. The Cream and Crimson shot 54.3% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arc in the victory.
The Hoosiers will now hit the road to face No. 22 Michigan State. The contest is slated for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Savannah Slone (@savrivers06) and columnist Ryan Canfield (@RyanCanfieldOnX) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
