Just six days ago, the Indiana Hoosiers were grasping for answers after dropping their ninth game in a row via a blowout loss to the Michigan Wolverines. The loss brought them to 0-10 on the Big Ten season, further diminishing hope of a turnaround. However, after jumping out to a 27-point first quarter lead and winning against Northwestern, the energy seems to have shifted in a positive direction.
After securing their first Big Ten win of the season on Sunday, the Hoosiers faced another challenge, heading up north to take on the 13-9 Wisconsin Badgers. In another must-win situation, Indiana battled it out for all four quarters, en route to a thrilling 77-74 victory.
“I’m really proud of our kids,” Teri Moren said postgame. “They found a way tonight… I like the way that we continue to battle.”
With both teams trading baskets early on, the game had a postseason feel. In the opening quarter, freshman guard Nevaeh Caffey, usually known for her defense, set the tone with eight points to get things started for the Hoosiers.
“My teammates did really well at finding me on those open corner kickouts,” Caffey said. “Just taking those open shots.”
In a matchup of this nature, every possession matters. However, in the first half, self-inflicted wounds were evident once again.
Eleven turnovers for the Hoosiers sounded the alarm to the coaching staff, realizing that significant adjustments had to be made in order to come out victorious. Indiana would head into the locker room holding on to a one-point lead.
For the majority of Big Ten play, the third quarter has been the Hoosiers’ kryptonite. All too frequently has the team come out sluggish and quickly given leverage to the opponent. That certainly was not the case late Wednesday night, as Shay Ciezki’s 10-point third gave the Hoosiers a six-point lead heading into the final period.
“We had 11 (turnovers) in the first, and only one in the second,” Moren said. “I thought that was really important to the win, just valuing the ball and not turning that thing over like we have been kind of used to doing.”
Ciezki’s hot second half continued, adding 12 more points to her total, finishing with yet another 30-point outing. The Big Ten’s leading scorer proved that she was the best player on the court Wednesday, scoring eight points within the final three minutes to put pressure on the Badgers.
The key difference between the win and the loss late in the game was the free-throw battle. In a premier conference like the Big Ten, many games are decided within the final minutes. Wednesday, the Hoosiers made a concerted effort to get to the charity stripe, sinking 13 free throws compared to the Badgers' five.
Winning consecutive games for the first time in over a month, the Hoosiers will look to remain in the win column, hosting in-state rival Purdue on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
