INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana women’s basketball is no stranger to playing against the best teams in the country come March.
In the Sweet 16 last season, the Hoosiers lost to the eventual national champions in the University of South Carolina. In the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Indiana fell to the University of Connecticut in the Sweet 16 just a season after falling to then-No. 3 University of Arizona in the Elite Eight.
Albeit those contests were in the Big Dance, the Hoosiers’ matchup with No. 1-seeded USC on Friday in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals resembled the prior games with national championship contenders.
Again, Indiana competed with the nation’s best as it has done before. After losing to USC by just 7 points Jan. 19 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers had an opportunity to avenge their loss. However, the Cream and Crimson fell 84-79 to the Trojans inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“I'm extremely proud of our team today,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said postgame. “I thought that they battled for 40 minutes. We asked them to do a lot defensively, change up some coverages and whatnot throughout. I thought that their focus was really good.”
The Hoosiers were tasked with attempting to contain USC sophomore guard JuJu Watkins, who scored 22 points in Assembly Hall nearly two months ago.
For much of the first quarter, Indiana held Watkins in check. But over the last three and half minutes, the Los Angeles native notched 6 quick points to take her first-quarter total to 8. In the second, Watkins made just one field goal, which came with 37 seconds left, but she still scored another 8 points.
Watkins’ ability to drive into the lane and toward the basket while maintaining control is an innate trait she possesses. It’s part of what makes her the National Player of the Year favorite she is.
“It’s something that I’ve never seen in a player,” Indiana graduate student guard Sydney Parrish said postgame. “She’s special because of that –– her body control and getting to the free throw line.”
To Moren, how often Watkins gets to the charity stripe — which she did 13 times Friday — is “amazing.”
The Hoosiers fouled Watkins more than any other Trojans player mainly because of the sophomore’s ability to lean into her defender when she’s going up for a shot.
“We're telling Chloe to be vertical, show your hands, and I thought Chloe picked up two kind of cheap ones with JuJu being able to do that,” Moren said. “Nonetheless, she gets fouled 11 times, and I don't think anybody else was close to that. I think one of the recipes in trying to beat a really good USC team is keeping her especially off the free-throw line.”
In total, the Trojans shot 31 free throws, but they only converted 20 of them. The Hoosiers, however, made four less trips to the stripe but made all but two. Each squad had a key player — USC graduate student forward Kiki Iraifen and Indiana’s Parrish — foul out in the fourth quarter.
Despite pulling within 3 points with three and a half minutes left in the game, the Hoosiers failed to overtake the Trojans. And although they lost, the Cream and Crimson feel as if they validated their belief in the teams they can hang with.
“We’ve shown twice that we can compete with the — they’re the No. 2 team in the country, so I think we’ve shown we can compete with them,” Parrish said. “You could say a few more shots go down, a few less fouls — doesn’t help when I foul out with five minutes to go.”
After the game, Parrish reiterated to her squad that they can play with a top team, which she said gives the Hoosiers added motivation. The next step is closing out the contests on a high note and dethroning the nation’s best squads.
Indiana now has nine days before it learns of its NCAA Tournament matchup and destination. Over the past three seasons, the Hoosiers have hosted their first and second round matchups inside Assembly Hall.
However, this season is different. Ahead of Friday, ESPN’s latest tournament projection had Indiana included in the “Last Four Byes” grouping.
Moren is certain her squad will make their fifth consecutive March Madness appearance. In her mind, there’s “no doubt.”
For the Hoosiers, they now have an opportunity to take a couple days to rest and get off their feet, Moren said. After a grueling 18-game conference slate in the regular season and a pair of contests at the Big Ten Tournament, Indiana has played 31 games so far this season.
And now, the Cream and Crimson feel they are peaking at the “right time,” according to Parrish.
However, it’s win or go home.
Parrish and Moore-McNeil's collegiate careers are now on the line — so too is senior forward Karoline Striplin’s. Parrish feels the Hoosiers can do more than just make another appearance in the Big Dance.
“We have an amazing chance to go make a run in the NCAA Tournament, and a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to say that they can make it to the NCAA Tournament,” Parrish said. “So, I think we’re now ready to wait for Selection Sunday and see what happens next.”
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Savannah Slone (@savrivers06) and columnist Ryan Canfield (@RyanCanfieldOnX) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
