COLUMBIA, S.C. — Chloe Moore-McNeil stood just to the right of the halfcourt stripe, hugging the bright orange Wilson March Madness basketball. The graduate student guard expressed a sense of relief across her face.
The Hoosier faithful, who were seated across from Indiana’s bench, all let out cheers as they too were relieved.
The No. 9-seeded Indiana women’s basketball had just put the finishing touches on its 76-68 victory over the No. 8-seeded University of Utah in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 on Friday at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
The two squads went back and forth for much of the opening quarter before the Utes led for nearly all of the second period as they led by as many as 6 points. But with halftime approaching, the last couple minutes of the opening half proved to be important in the Hoosiers’ victory.
"I think there was like two minutes to go, or a minute 30, and we got together and like in a huddle and said we need to bring it back; we need to tie this game up going into halftime so we have momentum to come out,” junior guard Shay Ciezki said postgame. “And that's what we did.”
The Hoosiers tied the contest at 31 at halftime before taking control of the game in the third quarter and holding on in the fourth.
Although the Utes tried to mount a comeback as they pulled within 4 points in the fourth quarter, Indiana constantly had a response. Whether it was junior guard Yarden Garzon or Moore-McNeil, the veteran-led Hoosiers didn’t allow the game to slip from their grasp.
“We always make it a point of emphasis when we do have the game tied or we do have the lead to not let up and keep our foot on the gas pedal,” Moore-McNeil said postgame. “And I think we did do a great job of that, whether it was playing fast and hit-aheads and running in transition or setting those drags or executing our plays.”
Indiana head coach Teri Moren said postgame she and her team knew Friday would be a “dogfight” and it’d be a game in which the Hoosiers would have to earn the victory.
Utah entered the game at 22-8 and with a 13-5 record in Big 12 play as it finished in a tie for fourth place in the conference.
“What a great team,” Moren said postgame. “They pose so many challenges for you defensively. They have a bunch of experience and veteran players, and they're very, very impressive. They're impressive, and they are hard to prepare for.”
However, the Hoosiers were well prepared.
With the first half being a rather quick one that didn’t have an abundance of stoppages, Indiana could’ve been tired in the second half. The Hoosiers could’ve been outplayed and simply outlasted by the Utes. They weren’t.
Graduate student guard Sydney Parrish said the Cream and Crimson never got tired. Instead, they fell on their preparation for the NCAA Tournament, which included “a lot” of conditioning, she said.
“So, I think falling back onto that and I think we just took off from there,” Parrish told the Indiana Daily Student after the game. “We just exceeded their level of play.”
Parrish said the Hoosiers played “really collective as one” Friday. Even though Utah junior guard Gianna Kneepkens drained an and-one 3-pointer as the Utes attempted to mount a comeback, Indiana came together and continued to get defensive stops and score timely buckets.
Friday marked the Hoosiers’ sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. With its victory over Utah, Indiana has now won at least one game in each of its March Madness berths.
Moren attributes the Hoosiers’ success in March to the same standards her program has maintained throughout her 12 years at the helm. No matter the player, Moren said, they must fit the program and the culture.
“And then once we feel like it's a great fit, then there are standards that we have, and we never lower the standards, no matter who you are,” Moren said. “From the best player to the last person on the bench that might not see time, they're held to the very same standard.”
It’s not easy to play at Indiana, Moren said, because of the work players must dedicate to their craft, but also the time they must devote to preparation and what’s required of them to be successful.
So, Indiana knows what moments such as Friday feel like. Moments where it must win to advance and stay alive in the most important days of its season.
That’s just what the Hoosiers did with their victory over the Utes: survive and advance.
Now Indiana will be put to the test against one of the sports powers in the defending national champions: the No. 1-seeded University of South Carolina, which defeated Tennessee Tech University by 60 points Friday.
“We’re a women’s basketball powerhouse,” Parrish said. “We’re coached really well, we have a good group, our chemistry is amazing and we’re prepared for moments like this. We’re prepared to play in March.”
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Savannah Slone (@savrivers06) and columnist Ryan Canfield (@RyanCanfieldOnX) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
