The Indiana Hoosiers got their second Big Ten win on Wednesday night, beating Wisconsin 77-74. For the Hoosiers, they have flipped their 9-game losing streak into a two-game winning streak. Additionally, Indiana extends their winning streak over the Badgers to a whopping 12 games, with Wisconsin’s last win over the Hoosiers coming in 2015.
The Hoosiers dominated for much of the game, despite a bevy of first-half turnovers that allowed the Badgers to stay in the game. At the half, Indiana led Wisconsin 31-30.
Part of the reason for the Hoosiers’ lead was due to Nevaeh Caffey having the best game of her young IU career. Caffey provided a steady presence on both ends of the floor when the Hoosiers needed it most. The freshman forward aggressively attacked the paint all night long, finishing through tons of contact, and cleaned up on the defensive boards. While 4 fouls forced her to miss much of the second half, Caffey still finished the game with a career-high 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
While the Hoosiers cut down on the turnovers in the second half, they struggled to find another scorer with Caffey on the bench in foul trouble. Maya Makalusky and Lenee Beaumont went a combined 4-15 from the field on Wednesday night.
With the Hoosier offense struggling, Shay Ciezki put the team on her back and continued to show why she is the best player in the Big Ten. Ciezki had a team-high 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 assist. It was this performance that allowed the Hoosiers to go on a 12-2 run in the third quarter.
Once the fourth quarter rolled around, the Hoosiers had a comfortable 8-point lead. However, as the fatigue for Indiana started to set in, Wisconsin began to get some open looks. A couple of clutch threes by the Badgers gave them a 63-61 lead with 3 minutes left in the game.
The Hoosiers and Badgers continued to trade bucket after bucket; however, it was Lenee Beaumont, who had been cold from the field all game long, who was the hero for the Hoosiers. Her late-game free throws helped the Hoosiers leave the Kohl Center with a 77-74 victory and their second Big Ten win of the season.
For the Hoosiers, this victory is a confidence boost that could not have come at a better time. Indiana will look to ride the momentum of these last two wins when they return to Assembly Hall on Sunday to take on the Purdue Boilermakers.