INDIANAPOLIS – The clock’s running down, it's do or die. Down two points, you need a 3-pointer.
It’s a scenario every kid practiced in their driveway, local park or court growing up. Very few ever got put in the situation to even take one of these shots in a game, let alone make it.
Today, someone had that chance.
Indiana had clawed all the way back against Nebraska in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament. The Cornhuskers had led by as many as 20 but with 90 seconds on the clock, down two, every person in Gainbridge Fieldhouse was on the edge of their seats.
Who would be the hero?
The play was drawn up for Shay Ciezki but Nebraska hedged Ciezki on the screen. A helpside defender found Edessa Noyan on the roll and that left Lenée Beaumont wide open, all alone on the right side wing to air up a triple.
Nothing but net.
68-67 Hoosiers, their first lead of the game with roughly a minute left in the contest.
The 3 was enough to propel Indiana to a 72-69 victory over Nebraska in game one of the Big Ten Tournament and keep their postseason hopes alive. It was Indiana’s biggest comeback since at least the 2013-14 season, according to IU.
“If I miss two in a row, I can't go in and be a shell of myself,” Beaumont said about the go-ahead shot. “I've got to be able to still look for my shot and think shot first. If we're going to lose, I'm going to go down swinging. That kind of was my mentality in the fourth.”
Going down swinging felt like the Hoosiers’ approach coming out of the locker room. They were down 17 at the break and had one of their best third quarters of the season, a complete flip of the switch from the third-period meltdowns earlier this year, to claw it back to eight heading to the fourth.
The third quarter didn’t just cut the deficit, it completely flipped the script. After shooting 51.4% in the first half, Nebraska went ice cold, shooting just 31.3% in the second.
“It's hard to get out and run when that team is shooting so good from the outside,” Ciezki said. “But our defense picked up, and that's how we got out and ran.”
Ciezki led the way for Indiana with 22 points and seven assists, her fifth 20+ point, 5+ assist outing this season.
All of Indiana’s starters had nine or more points in another balanced Hoosier offensive attack.
Beaumont had 14 and Nevaeh Caffey added 13 including two game-sealing free throws.
“At the end with those free throws, my coaches and my teammates (were) on the bench saying this is just practice,” Caffey said about her moment at the stripe. “Just knock 'em down.”
Noyan ended with 12 points and 10 rebounds, her second double-double for Indiana, in a 40-minute shift.
Indiana will have a quick turnaround as they face off with Ohio State in the next round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.
“We know the thing with Ohio State and what a terrific team they are, the press is going to be something that we're going to have to face,” head coach Teri Moren said about the matchup with the Buckeyes. “We know it's going to be a tall task. I think at their place it was competitive, especially in the first half, but the key to the game will be keeping those turnovers low against that pressure defense in the full court.”
Indiana lost 81-67 in their previous matchup against the Buckeyes after leading by 10 points at halftime in Columbus.
The Hoosiers are set to tip-off against Ohio State 25 minutes after the conclusion of No. 9 USC and No. 8 Washington on Thursday for the chance to face off with No. 4 Minnesota on Friday of the Big Ten Tournament.
