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(11/14/19 8:39pm)
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The Indiana women's basketball team is 2-0 with easy wins over Mount St. Mary's and Nicholls State. The guys are back to break those first two games down as well as preview the upcoming matchup with Jackson State.
(11/07/19 12:37am)
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With the season opener coming up, Austin Render, Jack Ankony and Drake Garbacik sit down to quickly recap the McKendree exhibition game and preview what is a highly anticipated season. They'll also give their predictions for March. Take a listen.
(10/25/19 4:18pm)
Believe it or not, basketball season is just a few days away, and it’s time to start previewing what this Indiana women’s basketball team will look like on opening day.
The Hoosiers return 91 percent of their offense and all but one player who played meaningful minutes a year ago. Bendu Yeaney, an everyday starter, will be out indefinitely due to an Achilles injury she suffered in the NCAA tournament.
That leaves a spot open in the backcourt, and there are many candidates to fill that void. The Hoosiers return their leading scorer and assister, Ali Patberg. Jaelynn Penn also returns after a season where she started every game but was never 100 percent healthy.
Grace Berger was a contributor off the bench last season, but her role is expected to expand. Chanel Wilson is coming off of a multi-year injury that left her out of the game since high school. Keyanna Warthen was a bench contributor a year ago who could see more time.
There are solid options in the backcourt for the Hoosiers, one of the major reasons Big Ten coaches predicted a top-three finish for Indiana in the conference this season.
(10/23/19 3:14am)
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Indiana defeated Evansville, 5-1, in a great bounce-back effort after a disappointing loss at Maryland. Five different Hoosiers found the back of the net. Austin Render breaks it all down on this edition of the Quest for Nine Report.
(10/17/19 3:00pm)
The Hoosier Network is on the scene this weekend in College Park, as Indiana Soccer faces the Terps Friday night at Ludwig Field, followed by Saturday's game at Capital One Field. Follow along @TheHoosierNet on Twitter and online at TheHoosierNetwork.com.
***
In College Park, they’re calling it “Beat Indiana” week. The two volleyball teams played Wednesday night, women’s soccer Thursday, men’s soccer Friday and football Saturday.
Only one of those sports has developed a rivalry since the Terps joined the Big Ten in 2014. The two men’s soccer programs have become some of the best in the country.
Last season, both made it to the College Cup, where Maryland knocked off Indiana in the semifinals and won the whole thing later that weekend.
“I’ll never forget what happened last year,” Indiana defender Jack Maher said. “That’s something that will stick with me for a very long time.”
Indiana has won the Big Ten regular season crown 15 times since the start of the conference in 1991, adding 13 Big Ten Tournament titles. The Hoosiers are coming off an undefeated 8-0-0 Big Ten season where they won both the regular season and tournament titles in 2018.
Meanwhile, Maryland has joined the conference and picked up right where it left off in the ACC, winning the Big Ten regular season title in 2014 and 2016 and the conference tournament in 2014 and 2015.
The easiest ways to form rivalries are to be successful and play each other often. Since Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014, the Hoosiers and Terrapins have matched up nine times. Maryland has a solid 3-1-5 record against Indiana. The Hoosiers' lone win came last season at home, defeating Maryland 2-1 on a last-second goal from Andrew Gutman.
Rivalries need moments. Auburn/Alabama has so many, but most recently the kick-6. Indiana/Kentucky men's basketball is remembered for the Wat Shot. Duke/North Carolina has countless memories. For Indiana/Maryland, Gutman's incredible effort to score the game-winner against Maryland quickly became a memory Hoosier fans won't soon forget.
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An established rivalry not only has to include lots of matchups and memories between the teams, but they must be competitive matches. Of the nine games between these two, only one ended in a two-goal spread: last year’s College Cup semifinal matchup. Five of the nine matches since 2014 have ended in draws, two of which went to penalty kicks in the Big Ten Tournament, each team winning one.
Most rivalries take years to develop. They need crops of good recruiting classes to come and go, competitive games over years and years of competition. This rivalry took just a few years to become fierce, competitive and important, not only on the conference level but nationally.
Maryland has reached the NCAA tournament 24 straight seasons. Indiana tops that with 32 straight tournament seasons. The Hoosiers are second in all of collegiate men’s soccer with eight national titles. Maryland has four after last year’s championship campaign.
It’s safe to say this week’s matchup is a big one. Since Maryland joined the Big Ten, one of these two teams have won the conference title three out of five years. Halfway through conference play, Maryland isn’t exactly in a place to win the Big Ten, but the Terrapins have a great opportunity this weekend to play a role in Indiana not winning.
"I do want them to enjoy that challenge of going there and playing," Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley said. "But once the whistle blows... it's focusing on our details, doing well against what they do well and knowing that these points are as important as any."
Indiana sits atop the Big Ten table at 4-0-0, holding a two-point lead over a Penn State team Indiana already defeated 3-1. Michigan is the next closest, another opponent Indiana has taken care of. Safe to say those teams need help, and Maryland will look to serve as that help this weekend, knocking off their newfound Big Ten rival.
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Last season these two teams met three times. Indiana won the first with last-second fireworks. The second was a draw, decided by penalty kicks in the Big Ten Tournament. The third was a dominating performance by Maryland in the College Cup, 2-0.
If history repeats itself, we will likely be blessed with another matchup between these two down the road. In 2014, 2015 and 2018, Maryland and Indiana met up in both the regular season and the conference tournament. The winner of the tournament matchup went on to the win the whole thing.
The new aspect this season is that Maryland will be the host of the 2019 Big Ten Tournament. Both Indiana and Maryland are known for their hostile environments, some of the best in college soccer. That’s something that Indiana has to be prepared for again this year, having never won at College Park since Maryland joined the Big Ten.
“I love when someone is chirping in my ear,” Indiana defender Spencer Glass said. “I think those environments are fun. The more the better, so bring it on.”
Indiana is the heavy favorite to win the conference’s regular season title as well as the Big Ten Tournament. But any road to a Big Ten championship will go straight through College Park.
(10/13/19 11:31pm)
Indiana Soccer continued its unbeaten run in conference play with a 1-0 victory over Michigan, thanks to an incredible goal from Spencer Glass in the 67th minute. The Hoosier Network's Austin Render dives into storylines on the latest Quest For Nine Report.
(09/20/19 5:53pm)
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This week, Griffin Gonzalez went around Indiana tailgates to talk about the history of Indiana football, challenging tailgaters to a game of trivia.
(09/13/19 2:17pm)
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Redshirt junior Ian Black joins the show this week. Yeah, we talked about soccer, but we also talked about his hatred for Ohio State, his families joint twitter account and much more. Take a listen to our fun conversation with Ian.
(08/28/19 7:27pm)
Before Indiana opens the season against Pittsburgh, get caught up with the rest of The Hoosier Network's preview coverage:
Forwards preview
Midfielders preview
Backline preview
Goalkeepers preview
***
The 2019 Indiana Men’s Soccer season is finally upon us. The Hoosiers kick off play in the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic Friday night against Pittsburgh. IU went 2-1 in the preseason with victories over Bowling Green and DePaul, while suffering a defeat to Louisville. After graduating nearly the entire starting XI from a season ago, the team will obviously look a bit different this fall. But per usual, expectations are still high this season.
With the season opener Friday, some members of The Hoosier Network give their thoughts on what can be expected from Todd Yeagley’s group this fall.
General Expectations for 2019
Jared Rigdon: We’ve all talked about since the end of last season about IU has to replace 10 of its starters from last year’s College Cup roster. But there is plenty of talent coming back that wasn’t a true starter a year ago like redshirt juniors Spencer Glass and A.J. Palazzolo. This team is still meshing together as they introduce 14 freshmen and transfer players, but this is still going to be a very good team. Whether it’s a good enough team to reach a third consecutive College Cup or win the Big Ten title again is yet to be determined. IU is going to have a variety of goalscorers this season and will rely on a lot of young talent to carry Yeagley’s squad this year.
Connor Hines: Even with the drastic roster turnover we’re all familiar with by now, Indiana fans shouldn’t temper expectations too much this fall. Turnover is a very natural thing which all college programs deal with, and Yeagley’s continued and consistent success in spite of that is a testament to what he can do as a coach. The leaders aren’t the same, but I think IU fans will be pleasantly surprised with who steps up and assumes their role. Indiana returns some key pieces in Glass, Palazzolo, and Maher, while landing a couple huge transfers -- Joris Ahlinvi is simply electric, and Simon Waever, who impressed in the spring, brings veteran experience to the backline. We’re all going to be surprised by how well this team gels together; the trip to Mexico this past spring was huge for this group to be able to bond and work together for the first time. I think we’ll see that play major dividends especially in the thick of the conference season. As they so often do, the pieces may land just where Todd Yeagley needs them to this year.
Austin Render: Yes, there is a lot of turnover. However, there are some veterans who are going to help Todd Yeagley steer the ship. Spencer Glass on the wing could have the best left foot in the country. Jack Maher will be that steady presence in the back line, guiding the young players as a sophomore captain. Thomas Warr has been with the team and been a role player in previous years. Now he will be a starter, and three goals in three exhibition games makes me think he’s ready for the spotlight. And after a good campaign a year ago, A.J. Palazzolo provides Yeagley a player that can play in so many different positions. Throw in some of those talented freshmen and transfers and this team is set for another special season.
Most Valuable Player
Rigdon: Everyone has spent the past nine months talking about sophomore defender Jack Maher and deservedly so. He is on the MAC Hermann watch list and is potentially the most talented player on the roster. But if this team is going to be successful, it’s going to come at the heel of Spencer Glass and the “best left-foot” in college soccer. He’s moved around a lot in his college career but has settled into the left-back role this year and has played extremely well in the preseason. He moves well down the left flank and is seemingly near the ball at all times. Glass was named one of three team captains and has shown how versatile and important he will be.
Hines: Jack Maher is the exact type of player the Yeagley family has recruited to Bloomington for decades, and he’s the kind of player who’s capable of bringing Indiana a ninth national championship. He’s quiet, composed, and simply one of the best defenders in the nation. He’s also always ready for the moment. In his freshman season, he surprised us all -- maybe even Yeagley himself -- with a confident and mature approach in his first College Cup. With the departure of so much talent, I think we see Maher “own” his team with some more poise this season, all while keeping up the stellar defense he brought to the pitch in his first year. Indiana shut out opponents 15 times last year, and much of that can be credited to the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year. Defense has been a primary strength of Indiana teams for so long, and with Maher, that only continues this fall.
Render: I’m with Jared on this one. Spencer Glass is easily the most “valuable” player on this team. He can set the tone, both on the back and front lines. He can run the pitch well and has that incredibly gifted left foot. I watched him swing in a beautiful cross that was headed home by Palazzolo in the most recent exhibition game and my jaw dropped. Palazzolo says that they have been wanting to connect for some time, and I don’t think this will be the last Glass to Palazzolo goal-scoring combo this year. I think his veteran leadership and of course his talent will lead to Glass to be the most valuable player on this team.
Breakout Player
Rigdon: Thomas Warr has fallen out of favor in the last handful of seasons, but I believe he’s truly on the verge of having a breakout season. In the spring, Warr netted a hat-trick against Lipscomb and followed that up in the preseason with a goal in each of IU’s three exhibitions. There are a lot of options to fill the three frontline roles, but Warr is very dangerous as the striker. He was a talented prep soccer player but has yet to find his groove in Bloomington. If he can earn the trust of Yeagley and be productive in the early portion of the schedule, Warr may find himself in the scoresheet more often than not.
Hines: Gotta agree with Jared on this one. Warr is just so ready to make his name known in the Big Ten this year. It’s easy to see why he hasn’t had a real shot until now; with the likes of Dorsey, Rennicks, and Gutman readily available in years past, there just hasn’t always been a spot for him on the field. This will be his third full year with the program and he knows it well. To that end, he’ll be able to gel easily with just about anyone else beside him; particularly, I think the combination of Warr and Glass could be an incredibly dangerous one. As Jared mentioned, we’ve already seen what he’s capable of when he gets his shot. This year, he gets that chance to prove something to all of us. A couple honorable mentions for this one as well: Ian Black was also incredibly impressive in Mexico and could really be another dark horse who steps up and owns his moment. Plus, nothing gets done for Indiana this season without Sean Caulfield performing in between the sticks. He’s another guy who is just now getting a chance as a full-time starter, and he’s wearing the captain’s armband this fall.
Render: I’m going to throw you a curveball here. I think it’s Sean Caulfield. He’s a redshirt senior who has been looking for that starting spot for so long. It seemed to be his a few years ago before Trey Muse arrived on campus. He has had some opportunities, albeit very minimal, the past few years. But I think he learned a lot from playing behind Muse these past two years. He’s also the “old man” on the team and his leadership with that back line will be extremely valuable. Pair his skills with Maher and it will be difficult to score on this Hoosier team. But with many young, inexperienced players on the pitch, it will often come down to Caulfield needing to save the day, and I expect that he will fit into that role just fine.
Freshman to Watch
Rigdon: This is a tough one because there will be a handful of freshmen that feature in the Starting XI early in the season, But Aidan Morris is the freshman to watch for me. He’s the other player alongside Josh Penn in the four-star tandem of Yeagley’s 2019 recruiting class. In the preseason, Morris didn’t look like a freshman. He handled the ball with ease, made tremendous runs and had crisp passes to teammates in midfield. Yeagley has nothing but praise for Morris and talked about his time training with the Columbus Crew first team that has allowed him to mature so quickly. Morris should be a starter from day one and should have a great impact.
Hines: From early indications, I’m a big fan of what Josh Penn is capable of bringing to the table in every sense. If you could describe a soccer player as a five-tool guy, Penn would be one of the first Hoosiers to come to mind. When he came to an IU soccer camp at age 11, Yeagley told his parents that IU would one day recruit Josh -- so he’s been doing something right for some time now. At the youth level, he was always ahead of the curve and I think he carries that same approach into his first collegiate season. Tabbed by Top Drawer as the No. 1 player in the Midwest, he has experience with the USMNT U-19 and U-20 squads. He had great success with Sockers FC, and came to the Indy Eleven via a partnership -- so he’s even already got some experience in the Hoosier state. Penn has an incredible left foot, phenomenal speed, actively impacts the game in any way he can, and is a perennial threat to score at all times. Of course, it still remains to be seen how much each of the freshmen actually play this fall, but be assured that Penn will capitalize on a chance should he get it.
Render: Once again, I agree with Jared on this one. I was talking to some of the players the other day and they said to watch out for Aidan Morris because he has the makeup of an incredible talent as soon as this season. He came in as one of those four-star recruits in Yeagley’s 2019 class. He participated with the U18 USMNT last season and has also trained with the Columbus Crew first team. He’s one of those guys that if you tried to name the freshman on the pitch during the preseason, you wouldn’t pick him. He looks like a seasoned veteran, playing with poise and confidence. I’m excited to watch him play alongside some of the other newcomers.
Biggest Game
Rigdon: Of any team in the Big Ten, Michigan State has played IU the toughest the past couple of years. The Hoosiers needed an overtime goal to defeat the Spartans last season and played that memorable NCAA quarterfinal match two years ago that ultimately sent IU to the College Cup. Michigan State is fresh off a trip to the College Cup and features two players on the preseason MAC Hermann trophy watch list. It’s the final game of the regular season and East Lansing isn’t an easy place to play. The Big Ten title may very well be on the line on November 3rd when the Hoosiers and Spartans end the regular season.
Hines: MARYLAND. When Andrew Gutman brought his team back from the dead to get a 2-1 win over the Terps last October, he helped initiate the newest and perhaps the fiercest rivalry in college soccer. Though IU pulled out another gutsy win in PK’s in last year’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal, it was of course the Terps who played the role of heartbreaker in the College Cup, ending Indiana’s run. Either way, each time it was insanely competitive, even, and played at the highest caliber from start to finish. It’s surely a different IU team in 2019, but we’ll know so much more about this group by the time October 18th comes around, when Indiana finally takes its trip out to College Park. Just a few weeks ago, Maryland lost top attacker Paul Bin for the season with an ACL tear, so the Terps will look a bit different too. Regardless, the intrigue and anticipation alone is worth the watch.
Render: Yeah, Maryland and Michigan State are huge matchups in the Big Ten. Kentucky and Michigan will also be difficult matches for the Hoosiers. But for me, it’s the Notre Dame game early in the season on September 17. Why? Because this is a young Hoosier team as we’ve talked about. So yeah those Big Ten games are big, but this early season test will show us just how good this Hoosier team is. The Irish enter the season ranked No. 9 in the country. Notre Dame and Indiana have produced great matchups in the past and with this one back in Bloomington, I would expect a great atmosphere for another classic. I’d also throw in the game against No. 18 Denver in South Bend a week earlier. Those two games will be good tests for this new batch of Hoosiers.
Can IU reach the College Cup?
Rigdon: The expectations are always high around this program. IU is ranked No. 2 in the preseason coaches poll and No. 5 in the preseason Top Drawer Soccer poll. Ask any of the players and they’ll tell you they want to make a trip to Cary, NC for the College Cup. This team still has some vulnerability as talent meshes together and Yeagley is relying a lot of young players to have an instant impact. But this is Indiana. As long as Yeagley is coach, I will never count out the Hoosiers from making a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
Hines: You just can’t ever count ‘em out. Before last year’s College Cup in Santa Barbara, Jack Maher, a freshman at the time, said, “It’s our number one goal we set at the beginning of the year. This is why you come to Indiana -- to win a national championship.” The high preseason ranking is largely a reflection of last year’s team, and, cliche as it is, only time will tell us what this 2019 group is capable of achieving. In one way or another, it’s going to be a different year for Indiana Soccer. Maybe that “a-ha” moment comes when they’re handed their first big loss (or when they pick up a huge upset win). Regardless of who it is on the pitch, you have to think that Todd Yeagley has his team equipped each and every year for a deep tournament run. Let’s ride.
Render: Like Connor said, this is why these guys come to Indiana. They want to win a national championship. Thomas Warr told us after the exhibition finale that he’s not surprised the freshman have looked good because that’s what they’re supposed to do here at Indiana. Think about the last two seasons alone. 2017 was Mason Toye on offense and the goalkeeping of Muse that were great freshman performances. Last season it was Maher on the back line, earning him a share of the captaincy as a sophomore. So yeah, there might be some young Hoosiers out there in the starting XI early, but I expect them to grow into the lineup, accompanied by some seasoned veterans. I think this team will contend for not only the Big Ten title but the College Cup as well.
(08/28/19 7:19pm)
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The regular season is just a few days away. The Hoosier will begin their season in Indianapolis with a neutral site battle against Ball State. Griffin Gonzalez, Matt Cohen and Jared Rigdon break down the matchup and also welcome in Ball State's play-by-play broadcaster for insight into the 2019 Cardinals.
(07/05/19 4:31pm)
The past year in Indiana athletics gave us a little bit of everything. This summer, the HN staff is recounting the best from the year. Each week, we’re revealing a new game, moment, or memory which stood out to us as worthy of a spot in our #HNTop10. It all culminates in August with our best moment from the year.
We continue the countdown with #7 on our list -- IUWBB's thrilling win over Megan Gustafson and the Hawkeyes.
#10: Stevie Scott's debut and the arrival of stability in Indiana's backfield
#9: Indiana Volleyball's resume win over #14 Michigan
#8: Romeo Langford's game winner against Wisconsin
***
The Hoosiers had lost their last four games, all after a shoulder injury to their star point guard, Ali Patberg.
After being a favorite to make it to the big dance at the turn of the new year, Indiana had lost eight of its last ten, heading into a showdown with No. 10 Iowa in Bloomington.
This wasn’t just any top-10 team. This group featured soon-to-be Big Ten Player of the Year Megan Gustafson, who was a double-double machine. She finished the season averaging 27.9 points and 13.4 rebounds per game.
However, this was the return of Patberg from injury. She returned to a team who was desperate for a win and for their point guard to take over the offense again.
After the first quarter, it was 24-12 Iowa. The Hoosiers had a plan against Gustafson, but the other role players for the Hawkeyes were knocking down threes. Iowa went 6-of-8 from long range in the opening quarter. A big three pointer from Patberg pulled the Hoosiers within single digits at halftime, 38-30.
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After a jumper from Gustafson with 5:38 to play in the third quarter, it was 49-33 Iowa, with the result seemingly in hand for the Hawkeyes against an under-matched Indiana team.
Then Brenna Wise hit a three.
Then Patberg hit a three. And another one.
Then Grace Berger and Kym Royster hit jumpers.
Then the quarter ended on another Wise three. It was 54-51 Iowa.
The Hoosiers closed the third quarter on a 18-5 run, to the tune of 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc in the quarter. It seemed to be anyone’s ball game now.
Iowa opened the fourth with a couple baskets to push it to eight. Indiana answered. Jaelynn Penn joined the three-point party with a game-tying three with seven minutes to go. Wise knocked down yet another three to take their first lead with 5:50 to go.
Then, with 22 seconds left, Iowa’s Tania Davis knocked down a cold-blooded three to tie the game up at 73. It was Indiana’s ball with one shot left.
They could have drawn up a play for Wise, who had 24 points and had made four three-pointers. They could have given the ball to Patberg, who had 21 points and six three-pointers in her return to the court.
Enter Bendu Yeaney.
Yeaney had been on the bench for most of the fourth quarter with just two points on 1-of-6 shooting. However, Teri Moren gave her sophomore from Oregon the ball in a tie game and gave her the chance to win the game. And she delivered.
Yeaney found the bottom of the net with three seconds left to put the Hoosiers ahead, and after a missed three by Iowa, the Hoosiers came out victorious, upsetting the No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes, 75-73.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/1098812135314984960[/embed]
We went into the game not knowing if we would even see Patberg, and if so, for how long? Her teammates had been struggling without her, losing four straight. The team didn’t have any momentum, losing eight of its last 10. Yeaney was benched in the fourth quarter, struggling to find her flow offensively.
None of that mattered. Patberg showed up in a way that only she could have having missed time with an injury. Her partner in crime, Wise, followed suit, leading the team in scoring. And after sitting for almost the entirety of the fourth, Yeaney came in and delivered the dagger.
And what about Gustafson? She was held to 26 points -- below her season per game average. Linsey Marchese did an excellent job making any touch Gustafson had difficult. She had just ten points in the fourth quarter, with two coming from the free throw line.
Not only did this stop the losing skid, but it also ended up being the main reason Indiana was able to get into the NCAA Tournament. A win against the 10th best team in the country was enough to propel their resume over the others on the bubble. It was a win over a team the committee ended up placing on the two-line come tournament time.
The Hoosiers followed up the win later in the season with a dominating win over Purdue at home to close out the regular season, and a victory in a must-win game in the Big Ten Tournament against Minnesota. They took that same Iowa team deep into the fourth quarter in Indianapolis before falling just short in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals. They also won their opener in the NCAA Tournament over seven-seeded Texas, who was ranked No. 23 in the last poll before the tournament.
It’s safe to say that if Indiana had not upset Iowa, the Hoosiers may have missed the NCAA Tournament and might have been playing for another WNIT title, something they enjoyed, but certainly didn’t want to do again. Instead, they sat in their locker room on Selection Monday, watched their name be announced, and went out to Oregon, winning an NCAA Tournament game. A whole lot of that can be attributed to the way the Hoosiers played on the night of February 21 inside Assembly Hall.
(05/27/19 5:54pm)
The Indiana Hoosiers will travel just down the road to Louisville for their NCAA Tournament regional matchups. The Hoosiers are in the tournament for the sixth time in the last seven years and the ninth appearance in the program's history. The Hoosiers are the No. 2 seed in the region. Here's how the field lines up:
(05/19/19 3:08am)
For the seventh time in program history, the Indiana Hoosiers are the regular-season Big Ten Champions after sweeping the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Hoosiers capped off the series and their Big Ten Championship campaign with a 13-3 win Saturday afternoon.
Indiana finished the season 36-19 and 17-7 in Big Ten play, a half-game ahead of the Michigan Wolverines.
Here are a few takeaways from the Rutgers sweep as well as a Big Ten Championship season for Indiana.
The emergence of Elijah Dunham
Sophomore Elijah Dunham missed nearly a month early in the season due to injury. Since then, he has established himself as a formidable member of this dangerous Indiana batting order.
In his last seven games, Dunham is hitting .533 (16/30), with five multi-hit games. He has seven doubles and four RBI in that stretch. Before the Sunday game against Michigan, Dunham was on an eight-game hit streak.
Before this recent seven game stretch, Dunham was batting .231 (24/104), with five multi-hit games in his first 30 games.
This Rutgers series put an exclamation point on a phenomenal month of May for Dunham. He was 4-for-5 with two doubles on Thursday. He followed that up on Friday with a 2-for-4 performance with an RBI single. Then on Saturday, Dunham was 3-for-4, crossing home plate four times.
With his recent success, Dunham has moved into the cleanup spot in the lineup and seems to be very comfortable with his role in the explosive Hoosier lineup.
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Indiana’s bats are alive and well
Rutgers’ starters had solid ERA’s coming into this series, specifically their Friday and Saturday starters (the series was from Thursday-Saturday).
On Friday, Rutgers put lefty Tevin Murray on the mound. Murray entered the game with a 2.33 ERA, fourth best in the Big Ten. He also had 78 strikeouts on his resume.
Indiana didn’t think twice about that ERA Friday. Murray lasted just 2.1 innings, allowed five hits, six earned runs and issued five free passes from walks and hit batters.
Indiana finished the game with 12 hits and 11 runs. After battling some strikeout issues in the midweek game against Louisville, the Hoosiers limited their strikeouts to 10 on Friday.
Rutgers’ Saturday starter, Tommy Genuario, entered the game with a 2.58 ERA. However, Indiana roughed him up, forcing him to exit after just 3.2 innings. He allowed four hits, five earned runs and issued four free passes.
As a team, Indiana scored 13 runs on 11 hits and only struck out three times. Cole Barr notched his conference-leading 16th home run and finished the game 3-for-4.
Winning when they had to win
There were several games you could look back to and realize they were so important for Indiana to win the Big Ten title. As a friendly reminder before reading this list of games, remember the Hoosiers won the title by a half game.
[embed]https://twitter.com/IndianaBase/status/1129844248596107265[/embed]
First, Indiana trailed 6-1 against Minnesota on April 27. They were dominated by Minnesota’s ace, Max Meyer, the day before, and were in jeopardy of losing their first series of the Big Ten season. However, with two on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Matt Lloyd launched a deep ball to right field, rescuing the Hoosiers.
The next series was a road trip to Illinois, where Indiana lost the first two games and were in jeopardy of being swept for the first time since the Tennessee series.
After scoring a combined one run in the first two games, Indiana’s offense woke up right when they needed to, rallying off nine runs on Sunday to save themselves from a sweep against a good Illini team.
Then, of course, there’s the Michigan series. The Wolverines came in as the No. 19 team in the country and had a two and a half game lead on IU. However, Indiana rattled off 10 runs on both Friday and Saturday to win both games and move close enough to have a chance to win the title this week.
That brings us to this weekend, where Indiana needed to sweep and get some help from Nebraska. As of Friday afternoon, they knew their championship fate was in their own hands. Indiana still had to earn it, and on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, Indiana did that in emphatic fashion, with 11 runs on Friday and 13 on Saturday.
This team didn’t get off to a great start, being swept by Tennessee and striking out 21 times in the Saturday game. They lost games to Penn State and Michigan State, two teams that didn’t even make the Big Ten Tournament.
However, they are winners, and winners don’t quit. This team embraced the mentality of their first-year head coach and never gave up. When you keep fighting and give it all you have, good things happen. For Indiana, the good things were the two Nebraska wins over Michigan this weekend, allowing them to win the title.
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Now Indiana will head to the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 1 seed with a target on their backs. Then they’ll head to the NCAA Tournament. They can check off regular season champs off their list, but there is still a lot ahead of this team in 2019.
There are a lot of unknowns ahead of them, but one thing is for sure.
This team will fight until the end.
(05/15/19 1:39pm)
No. 25 Indiana (33-19) had its chances to knock off No. 9 Louisville (41-12) Tuesday evening, but it was a 12th-inning blunder by the Hoosiers’ defense that costed them an extra-inning classic, 8-7.
After going down six in the first four innings, Indiana responded with a five spot in the bottom of the fourth and would force extra innings with its two runs in the seventh.
Even with the loss, Indiana showed a lot of fight against a top-10 team, down six early. Before the Hoosiers focus on their final Big Ten series this weekend, here are some takeaways from their last midweek game of 2019.
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Defensive errors
First-year head coach Jeff Mercer has strived to make Indiana fundamentally sound. Early in the year, in their midweek struggles with Kent State and Wright State, Indiana looked lost at times defensively.
So far this season, the Hoosiers have a .970 fielding percentage, fifth-best in the Big Ten, averaging just over one error per game. Tuesday night’s two errors were costly, but that doesn’t include the wild pitch and poor decision-making Indiana’s fielders made.
It started in the third inning. Indiana had one out and a runner on first. A grounder was hit to first baseman Scotty Bradley, who tried to turn two, but instead threw the ball into left field, allowing both runners to reach safely. The next batter homered, scoring three runs for Louisville.
Alex Franklin walked in a run in the fourth inning. While that doesn’t go down as an error, it’s certainly an at-bat Franklin would like back.
Louisville scored their run in the seventh after Danny Oriente singled to score Alex Binelas from second. Binelas got to second because of a passed ball from Wyatt Cross behind the plate.
Finally, the costliest error came in the 12th. With a runner on third, a grounder was hit to first-baseman Cade Bunnell. Instead of going home with it immediately and eliminating the run, he first looked to second base to turn two. His delayed throw to the plate cost the Hoosiers what proved to be the game-winning run.
Indiana finished the 12-inning marathon with two errors, a passed ball, a wild pitch and some confusing defensive miscues down the stretch, uncharacteristic of this year’s Hoosier team.
Old habits return
Indiana struck out 46 times in the Tennessee series, including 21 strikeouts in the Saturday game. That was their season-high until Tuesday night against Louisville, where Indiana struck out 23 times.
Strikeouts have been an issue for Indiana all season. They average nearly 11 a game. They lead the Big Ten by a large margin with 566 strikeouts this season. For a decent stretch early in the season, Indiana was either hitting home runs or striking out.
After Matt Lloyd drew a lead-off walk to start the bottom of the 12th, the next three batters, Elijah Dunham, Cole Barr and Tyler Van Pelt all struck out to end the game. With a runner on and no outs, the Hoosiers never made contact.
They did score their seven runs in this game without a home run, which is something Indiana has improved greatly upon throughout the season. However, the strikeouts are certainly something that continues to pop up at the wrong times. Four Hoosiers struck out three times against Louisville, while eight of their 12 batters struck out multiple times.
Great experience against a regional host
There were some positives to take from this midweek contest against a potential regional host in Louisville.
On a bullpen day, Indiana used eight pitchers. Gabe Bierman started the game off, pitching two innings and allowing two runs on some well-placed but softly hit balls.
The Hoosiers got great innings from some of their young relievers. Freshman Alex Franklin walked in a run but also battled back and got out of a bases-loaded jam, allowing just that one run. Freshman Braydon Tucker followed Franklin with two scoreless innings, allowed just two hits and got a huge double-play ball to end the sixth inning with a runner stranded on third.
Sophomore Connor Manous allowed only two hits and one unearned run in his 1.2 innings of work. Sophomores Grant Sloan and Braden Scott combined to throw 3.1 scoreless innings late in the game, with just one hit and three strikeouts.
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At the plate, seven different Hoosiers had a hit and seven different Hoosiers registered an RBI, all without any home runs. It was a balanced attack offensively for Indiana, proving once again that there aren’t any holes in this lineup and that everyone is capable of contributing at any given time. Wyatt Cross was 1-for-4 with an RBI in the nine-spot of the lineup.
What’s next?
Indiana fought hard to come back from a 6-0 deficit early, but they ultimately fell short. However, this contest had no bearing on their Big Ten title chances.
Indiana, a game and a half behind in the Big Ten standings, will start their final conference series on Thursday with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (20-28, 9-11). The series will wrap up on Saturday with senior day.
There’s a lot at stake this weekend, so Indiana will need to have a short memory, taking the field again in less than 48 hours. The Hoosiers have now played 23 innings in their last two games, both losses. The bullpen, or lack thereof, could be an important story for the Hoosiers in this weekend’s series.
(05/06/19 6:45pm)
The newest recipient of the Indiana Miss Basketball award will be suiting it up for the Hoosiers next season. Indiana’s incoming freshman, Jorie Allen, received the award Sunday and is now the third ever Hoosier to own that title, joining future teammate Ali Patberg and 1987 IU alum Lori Meinerding.
In her senior campaign at Bedford North Lawrence, Allen averaged 19.1 points and eight rebounds per game and became the all-time leading scorer in school history with 1,930 career points.
Another weapon
What does this all mean for Indiana? Well it adds yet another weapon to an already loaded Indiana roster for next season. They will return four of five starters from last year’s NCAA-Tournament team (depending on the recovery of Bendu Yeaney after undergoing surgery to repair her ruptured left Achilles). They also return several key weapons off the bench in Grace Berger, Aleksa Gulbe, Keyanna Warthen and Chanel Wilson, who missed all of last season with injury.
Indiana also brings in a loaded freshman class alongside Allen, with Shaila Beeler, MacKenzie Holmes and Arielle Wisne making up the 18th overall class in the country according to ESPN and 12th in the nation, 4th in the Big Ten according to Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. Holmes is a five-star post player from Maine who seems to fit seamlessly into this year’s team.
Filling the voids
As mentioned earlier, Yeaney underwent surgery in March to repair her ruptured left Achilles which she suffered in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. There’s no timetable for her return so there’s a chance someone will have to fill her spot in the lineup for some games next season.
Jorie Allen is a perfect candidate for that spot in the lineup. She is a 6-foot-1 wing who isn’t afraid to mix it up on the boards, something that Yeaney was great at. At Bedford North Lawrence, Allen didn’t take a ton of threes, shooting 14-of-69 in her four years with the Stars. However, with shooters around her like Patberg, Penn, Wise and Berger, three-point shooting won’t necessarily be called for from Allen, similar to Yeaney’s role in the offense.
Her length will give teams issues as well on the defensive side of the ball. Yeaney was arguably Indiana’s best on-ball defender, but with Allen’s 6-foot-1 frame, she could prove to be a problem for other teams’ wing players as well.
It will be interesting to see, if Yeaney cannot go to start the season, will it be Allen or Berger to start in the backcourt with Patberg and Penn.
All of this talk about Allen doesn’t even mention that Holmes, the other five-star in this class, could be the perfect fit to fill the one open starting spot in the post, replacing Kym Royster. At 6-foot-3, Holmes will be a matchup issue in the post for many teams and will pair well with Wise in the frontcourt.
Rebounding
Indiana calls upon their guards to help rebound the ball at high rates, especially this past year with a relatively small Indiana frontcourt. Wise and Royster combined to average 12.4 rebounds per game, but it’s the numbers that the guards put up that stands out.
As a point guard, Patberg averaged five rebounds per game to go along with her 15.8 points and 4.8 assists per game. Yeaney added 4.1 rebounds per game and Penn and Berger combined for another 6.4 rebounds. The starting backcourt, plus Berger off the bench, combined for 15.5 rebounds per game.
Why does that matter? Because this was a key part Allen’s game at Bedford North Lawrence. Allen averaged eight rebounds per game but is still expected to play the wing at Indiana. That’s important because Moren puts an emphasis on guard rebounding to help out their bigs down low. Allen will fit right into what Moren wants out of her wings in terms of rebounding.
Overall, there’s no denying that Allen, along with the rest of this freshman class, will be huge for this program to take the next step. Adding these five-star talents to an already loaded roster is sure to produce some positive steps for a team that was already in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
(04/30/19 3:58pm)
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The guys are back for one final time this season. In this episode they break down the Minnesota series as well as where Indiana stands in the conference and nationally. Plus, the guys rank their favorite walk-up songs from the Indiana Hoosiers this season.
(04/18/19 3:10pm)
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The usual cast is back, this week diving into what is now an eight-game win streak for the Hoosiers after a sweep over Evansville and a dominating performance against Ball State. There's also a chance for more with a favorable weekend series upcoming.
(04/15/19 8:33pm)
Indiana baseball made quick work of the Evansville Purple Aces this weekend, completing a four-game series sweep. Strong starting pitching from Indiana was key versus Evansville, and will be vital during the heart of conference play.
The Hoosiers now focus their attention to their first of two meetings versus Ball State on Tuesday. The two teams will also meet up on April 23 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
Both teams are playing some of their best baseball of the season heading into this matchup. The Hoosiers (24-12) are on a seven game win streak, while the Cardinals (23-12) are winners of four of their last five games.
Let’s take a look at what to expect for Tuesday’s game.
Hitting
Throughout the Hoosiers’ seven game win streak, the offense has produced at least five runs in six of the seven games. Against Evansville, every player in Indiana’s lineup had a hit in the final game of the series.
Indiana is a team that has lived and died by the long ball this year. Though they have lead the country in home runs throughout most of this season, the Hoosiers showed they can also provide base hits. Indiana only hit three home runs versus Evansville, but still found a way to produce 35 runs over the course of the series.
Indiana coach Jeff Mercer has stressed the importance of timely hitting this year, which will be important versus a Ball State team that can put runs on the board, as well.
The Cardinals have scored 41 runs in their last five games and are lead by Ross Messina, Aaron Simpson and John Ricotta. Messina leads the team with 36 RBI, while Simpson is batting .370 and has started every game in centerfield.
Ball State is currently ranked 42nd in the country in batting average and 49th in slugging percentage. While the Cardinals have only hit 20 home runs, compared to 55 for Indiana, they have six starters batting over .300 on the season.
It will be important for Indiana to limit errors against a Ball State team that likes to put pressure on the defense by putting the ball in play.
Pitching
Indiana will look to build off recent pitching success to cure season-long woes in midweek games. Sophomore Tommy Sommer will be on the mound for Indiana when the Ball State Cardinals come to Bloomington on Tuesday.
Sommer is coming off his most successful outing of the season versus Purdue when he pitched six innings in relief, giving up only one hit, zero earned runs and six strikeouts. This will be Sommer’s first start since March 3 in Indiana’s 6-5 loss to Coastal Carolina.
Indiana’s biggest problem in midweek games has been finding consistent pitching, but Sommer’s return from injury has proved beneficial. In losses to Kent State and Wright State earlier in the season, the Hoosiers had to burn through their bullpen, using at least seven pitchers in each game, just to find a reliable arm.
Ball State typically uses midweek games to utilize their bullpen, as well. The Cardinals will send right-hander Brendan Burns to the mound for his second start of the season and his first start since February 24. Burns boasts a 7.15 ERA in his 13 appearances this season.
What it comes down to
In the last two midweek games for the Hoosiers, McCade Brown has started the first inning by walking the bases loaded. Tommy Sommer will have to have control the strike zone early and let his defense make plays.
For the Cardinals, it will be necessary to continually put runners on base, which they have done all season. A high-scoring affair might be ideal for Ball State, as they have scored 41 runs in the past five games.
This season, Indiana and Ball State have played three common opponents: Kent State, Purdue and Butler. The Cardinals went 3-0, while the Hoosiers were 2-1, losing to Kent State 9-8.
It will be important for Indiana to continue its win streak on Tuesday as the Big Ten schedule heats up. Two wins versus Ball State and a three game set versus Michigan State (8-25) are key to the Hoosiers’ success down the stretch.
Indiana has a tough slate of conference opponents after this weekend when they face Minnesota, who won the Big Ten last year, Illinois (22-11) and Michigan (24-11), who trails Indiana by one and a half games in the Big Ten standings.
(04/11/19 4:11pm)
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Austin Render, Drake Garbacik and Griffin Gonzalez are back for another podcast, breaking down the Penn State series and a wild midweek battle with Purdue. Take a listen for everything Indiana Baseball.
(04/11/19 4:17am)
The Hoosiers started the game with McCade Brown on the mound. The freshman walked three straight batters, then allowed a two-RBI double, all without getting one out.
Enter Tommy Sommer. The sophomore left-hander hadn’t started a game since March 3 against Coastal Carolina. While he didn’t technically start Wednesday night, he came in with no outs in the top of the first inning with Indiana already down two runs.
Sommer took care of the rest. He went six innings, struck out six, allowed just one hit and zero runs. Most importantly, Sommer was able to throw 71 pitches.
“Tommy was incredible, he really won the game for us,” IU Head Coach Jeff Mercer said. “Obviously getting him back from injury was a huge shot in the arm for us. He was terrific.”
This performance comes on the heels of his first appearance since the injury on Saturday when he pitched two innings in the first game of the double header. He struck out a pair and allowed just one hit in that effort.
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Meanwhile, after Indiana expanded the lead to 6-2 in the sixth, Purdue rallied back in the seventh, scoring three runs, and then added one more in the ninth after a costly Justin Walker error.
At times, Indiana’s offense went stagnant, ending the game with 18 strikeouts, something that plagued the Hoosiers early in the season, especially in the Tennessee series where Indiana was swept.
“We swung at more balls that were out of the zone than were in the zone,” Mercer said. “We have to go back, and we have to get better at it… I don’t know what it is. If I could get a bat and go in there and do it, I would love to, but my eligibility is exhausted unfortunately."
So, with Indiana’s bats struggling in the latter innings and Purdue sending it to extras, Indiana needed a jolt of energy. That came from Indiana’s Scotty Bradley, who doubled to open up the bottom of the tenth.
Eventually, with the help of some poor pitching from Purdue, the bases were loaded for senior Cade Bunnell. He hadn’t played since the Maryland series on March 31, but was put in to pinch hit for Drew Ashley in the eighth.
With the bases loaded in the tenth, Bunnell flared one out to left field, painting the foul line and sending the Hoosiers home with their 20th win of the season.