No. 24 Hoosiers Open Season With 75-52 Win Over Mount St. Mary’s
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The No. 24 Indiana Hoosiers Women’s Basketball team (1-0) opened up the regular season at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday night with a 75-52 victory over the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers. Sophomore guard Grace Berger scored a career-high 24 points, while freshman forward Mackenzie Holmes added 15 points for the Hoosiers.
KEY MOMENTS
- After trailing 6-3 early, the Hoosiers went on a 7-0 run to take a 10-6 lead at 5:50 in the first quarter. Indiana would not trail again.
- Back-to-to back 3-pointers by Mount St. Mary’s after the first media timeout triggered an Indiana timeout. The Hoosiers responded with back-to-back 3-pointers by redshirt-freshman Chanel Wilson to take a 25-18 lead to end the first quarter.
- The Hoosiers scored two quick baskets with layups by Holmes and Berger to start the second quarter and a block on the defensive end by Holmes helped draw a Mountaineers timeout at the 8:15 mark in the second quarter.
- Berger started 6-of-6 from the field with three 3-pointers including one at the 7:15 mark in the second quarter to give the Hoosiers a 32-18 lead.
- Indiana made six-straight baskets during a 21-3 run over a 4:37 stretch in the second quarter, capped off by a Holmes layup. Berger scored 12 points during the run.
- Indiana hit the 50-point mark in the first half on a Holmes layup with 1:13 remaining in the first half. The Hoosiers led the Mountaineers 50-26 at the half.
- Mount St. Mary’s outscored the Hoosiers by one in a back-and-forth third quarter but Indiana continued to lead, 66-43.
- The Hoosiers went on a 6-0 run to begin the fourth quarter and a sophomore forward Aleksa Gulbe layup with 7:39 remaining gave the Hoosiers their largest lead of the game at 29.
NOTABLE
- Indiana won their seventh-consecutive season opener with a 75-52 win over Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday night.
- The Hoosiers shot 47.5 percent from the field compared to The Mount’s 37.3 percent.
- Indiana also won the rebound battle heavily with 42 compared to Mount St. Mary’s 25.
- In the first half, the Hoosiers shot 64.5 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent from behind the arc.
- The Indiana defense proved its resilience by holding The Mount scoreless through the final five minutes of action.
- Berger scored the third-most points in a season opener to lead the Hoosiers on offense with a career-high 24 points. She also dished out four assists, while grabbing seven rebounds.
- Holmes netted her first career points as she ended the night in double figures with 15 points. She went 6-for-9 from the floor.
- Junior guard Jaelynn Penn made her 72nd consecutive start for Indiana. The Louisville, Ky., native grabbed three rebounds and secured two assists.
- Freshman forward Jorie Allen scored her first two career points as a Hoosier.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Teri Moren
“Well, I was really happy. I thought the first half we played a solid twenty minutes. Very disappointed in the second half and how we started the third quarter. I thought we were sluggish and slow out of the gate. We had too many turnovers particularly in the second half. We really just couldn’t get any rhythm or run outs. I thought we had, at times, our shot selection was not what it needed to be. I thought we saw really good minutes from Grace Berger tonight. Early on in the first half, obviously, she hit a couple timely threes to get us going. It was great to see Mackenzie Holmes look comfortable. On a night where Jaelynn Penn only shoots the ball twice, I thought Ali Patberg didn’t miss by far. It was not a good game for Ali. Overall, we are happy with the win, but we know this that we need to be so much better with the win especially in the second half at finishing off opponents.”
UP NEXT
Indiana will play their second of three-consecutive home games to open the year at Noon on Nov. 10 against Nicholls State. Tip is set for 12 p.m. ET.