Preview:
#9 Indiana comes to Maples for our first major test of the year. The game will be carried on ESPN. For people attending, a chalk talk will precede it.
Last year Indiana was 28-4, but three of those losses came heading into and during tournament season. Indiana spent much of the year near the top of the rankings, but the finish did not meet most expectations.
We have some Cardboarders who follow Indiana WBB carefully, so hopefully we will hear more directly from them. But you cannot talk about Indiana without discussing MacKenzie Holmes. Holmes is regularly touted as one of the best players in the country. She is a 6'3" 5th year forward. Last year she averaged 22 points on 68% shooting, and the Indiana offense focuses on feeding her the ball, and tonight she was her usual self with 19 points in 19 minutes.
Indiana graduated the outstanding Grace Berger, but all their other starters are back. They include 6'2" senior guard Sydney Parrish, who averaged 12 points, 6'3" sophomore guard Yarden Garzon who averaged 11 points, and 6'2" senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil who averaged 10 points. The first player off the bench was Sara Scalia, who is a 5'10" senior guard. Notice the height of this team, and also notice that every single starter regularly scored in double digits. While Holmes is the centerpiece, all their positions are capable of scoring. And finally, notice the level of experience--only Garzon is not a senior.
Indiana mercilessly punishes those who double team Holmes. Garzon shot 70 treys last year at 46%--that is a higher percent than our Jump. But there were also 4 other Indiana players shooting better than 33% from three point range, several of them in some quantity.
In tonight's game the starters were Holmes, Scalia, Garzon, Moore-McNeil and Parrish. They played about half the game in the blowout win against Eastern Illinois. The non starter worth noting was Lexus Bargesser, a 5'9" sophomore guard who came off the bench for 15 points. Scalia was hot from three point range at 3/5 but the team did a lot of damage inside, where Holmes was 9/10.
And in a shocking stat that should get the attention of our defense: Indiana shot 65% from the floor tonight. In our blowout over Hawaii we shot 48%. 65%, sheesh. But Indiana was only 2/11 shooting free throws. What?
To have a chance to defeat Indiana, Brink and Iriafen are going to have to have a superb night limiting Holmes inside, and our perimeter players are not going to be able to help very much lest Holmes just pass the ball back to a three point sharpshooter. Last year, no one really could shut down the Indiana offense, but in the four games they lost, their opponents generally scored in the 80s, except for their inexplicable final loss to Miami 68-70. Our offense will need to have a very good night.
Indiana has a significant experience advantage, particularly at guard, and most of their guards are tall guards. That worries me a little. In addition, I really hope that Brink is fully healthy and ready for Holmes. I think Jump can more than adequately defend the Indiana guards on the perimeter, and I doubt that Indiana will press us. But the way our offense has been playing, we may be able to put up a lot of points, too. Could be a fun game to watch.
#9 Indiana comes to Maples for our first major test of the year. The game will be carried on ESPN. For people attending, a chalk talk will precede it.
Last year Indiana was 28-4, but three of those losses came heading into and during tournament season. Indiana spent much of the year near the top of the rankings, but the finish did not meet most expectations.
We have some Cardboarders who follow Indiana WBB carefully, so hopefully we will hear more directly from them. But you cannot talk about Indiana without discussing MacKenzie Holmes. Holmes is regularly touted as one of the best players in the country. She is a 6'3" 5th year forward. Last year she averaged 22 points on 68% shooting, and the Indiana offense focuses on feeding her the ball, and tonight she was her usual self with 19 points in 19 minutes.
Indiana graduated the outstanding Grace Berger, but all their other starters are back. They include 6'2" senior guard Sydney Parrish, who averaged 12 points, 6'3" sophomore guard Yarden Garzon who averaged 11 points, and 6'2" senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil who averaged 10 points. The first player off the bench was Sara Scalia, who is a 5'10" senior guard. Notice the height of this team, and also notice that every single starter regularly scored in double digits. While Holmes is the centerpiece, all their positions are capable of scoring. And finally, notice the level of experience--only Garzon is not a senior.
Indiana mercilessly punishes those who double team Holmes. Garzon shot 70 treys last year at 46%--that is a higher percent than our Jump. But there were also 4 other Indiana players shooting better than 33% from three point range, several of them in some quantity.
In tonight's game the starters were Holmes, Scalia, Garzon, Moore-McNeil and Parrish. They played about half the game in the blowout win against Eastern Illinois. The non starter worth noting was Lexus Bargesser, a 5'9" sophomore guard who came off the bench for 15 points. Scalia was hot from three point range at 3/5 but the team did a lot of damage inside, where Holmes was 9/10.
And in a shocking stat that should get the attention of our defense: Indiana shot 65% from the floor tonight. In our blowout over Hawaii we shot 48%. 65%, sheesh. But Indiana was only 2/11 shooting free throws. What?
To have a chance to defeat Indiana, Brink and Iriafen are going to have to have a superb night limiting Holmes inside, and our perimeter players are not going to be able to help very much lest Holmes just pass the ball back to a three point sharpshooter. Last year, no one really could shut down the Indiana offense, but in the four games they lost, their opponents generally scored in the 80s, except for their inexplicable final loss to Miami 68-70. Our offense will need to have a very good night.
Indiana has a significant experience advantage, particularly at guard, and most of their guards are tall guards. That worries me a little. In addition, I really hope that Brink is fully healthy and ready for Holmes. I think Jump can more than adequately defend the Indiana guards on the perimeter, and I doubt that Indiana will press us. But the way our offense has been playing, we may be able to put up a lot of points, too. Could be a fun game to watch.