Basketball season is finally back in Bloomington. Indiana Women’s Basketball tipped off its 2025 campaign with a commanding 80–46 victory over Lipscomb on Tuesday night inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. It was a battle of the Bisons — but there was no doubt which herd would rule the floor. Hoosier the Bison clearly had the upper hand over Lou Bison.
From the opening tip, the Hoosiers set the tone with high-energy defense and an offense that never let up. And while the team as a whole looked sharp, one player shined brighter than the rest — forward Zania Socka-Nguemen, who delivered a performance that had the crowd buzzing.
“She was a highlight, there’s no doubt about it,” head coach Teri Moren said after the game. “We felt like going into the contest, that was going to be an advantage for us. She’s in here every day, has continued to work on her game. She’s playing with a lot of confidence right now.”
Socka-Nguemen turned that confidence into results — scoring 19 points on an eye-popping 9-of-10 shooting from the field. The only Hoosier to outscore her was guard Shay Ciezki, who finished with 22. For Zania, it wasn’t about chasing stats — it was about playing freely.
“I was just playing basketball,” she said with a smile. “There’s not really much that I have to say. I’m happy to be in this position — very grateful. Sadly, I missed that one.”
In just 25 minutes, Socka-Nguemen filled the stat sheet with six rebounds, an assist, and a steal, showing off the all-around versatility that makes her such an intriguing piece in Indiana’s frontcourt.
“Although she’s a young sophomore [who] hasn’t played a lot of minutes, she’s really coming into her own,” Moren said. “She’s really confident, and I think she’s just looking to build. This kid wants to win more than anything, and she’s going to do whatever we ask her to do to help her team. I thought she really handled herself beautifully tonight.”
Before lighting up the court in Bloomington, Zania “Big Z” Socka-Nguemen spent her freshman season in the Big Ten with UCLA. The 6’3” forward appeared in 16 games for the Bruins during the 2024–25 campaign, averaging just over five minutes a night. Her year was cut short by injury, forcing her to miss eight straight contests, and she finished with 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game — her season-high of eight coming against Wisconsin on February 26, 2025.
Now, she’s found a new home in Teri Moren’s program, bringing toughness, energy, and a relentless will to win. That edge showed early in the Hoosiers’ exhibition against Missouri S&T, when foul trouble kept her off the floor for much of the second half. After picking up her fourth foul early in the third quarter, Moren opted to keep her on the bench the rest of the way.
But on Tuesday night, Socka-Nguemen flipped the script — showing discipline without losing her aggressiveness. She stayed composed on defense, committing only one foul all game while still controlling the paint.
“I had a lot of fouls in the exhibition,” she admitted with a grin after the win. “I just came into this game and tried to play more relaxed. [Once] I picked up that first one, I’m like, I’m not getting anymore, at least in the first half, and I didn’t.”
That poise paid off. Not only did she stay out of foul trouble, but she also doubled her field goals from the exhibition (4-for-4) while asserting herself as one of Indiana’s biggest inside threats. She looks every bit the dangerous matchup that Coach Moren envisioned — and she’s far from the only one heating up.
Veteran guards Shay Ciezki and Lenée Beaumont looked sharp in their returns, providing stability and scoring in the backcourt, while freshman Nevaeh Caffey brought an infectious energy that fueled the Hoosiers’ tempo. Together, they make this team look both seasoned and hungry — a dangerous combination.
With that kind of balance and firepower, it’s shaping up to be an exciting season in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are back in action Friday (Nov. 7) at 7 p.m. ET in Assembly Hall. Fans can catch the game live on B1G+ or tune in to B97 Radio to follow every moment.