On a day when Grace Berger was honored with a bobblehead giveaway, the Indiana Hoosiers put on a dominant performance reminiscent of the Berger-led 2023 Big Ten Champion team.
While Berger wasn’t able to attend the game in person, two of her 2023 teammates were at Assembly on Saturday. Both guard Sydney Parrish and forward Mackenzie Holmes were in the stands and received a warm welcome when they were shown on the jumbotron.
From the opening tip, the Hoosiers were playing with an intensity and physicality that was sure to make the 2023 team proud. Tasked with the tough defensive assignment of covering the 6’6” Penn State center Gracie Merkle, Edessa Noyan continually shut her down in a way that was sure to bring a smile to Mackenzie Holmes’s face. On the offensive side of the court, Maya Makalusky showed shades of Syd Parrish, raining down three after three.
In the blink of an eye, the Hoosiers had gone on a 23-2 run to open the game. By the end of the first quarter, that lead had grown to 31-8. Indiana showed no signs of slowing down in the second quarter, continuing to shut down the Nittany Lion offense and pour on the points. Headed into the half, the Hoosiers had built a whopping 57-23 lead.
At Half, four separate Hoosiers were in double figures. Shay Ciezki led the way with 17 points, followed by Lenee Beaumont with 11 and Maya Makalusky with 11. Nevaeh Caffey continued her strong two-game stretch with 11 points, 3 rebounds, and a team-high 4 assists in the first half.
Determined not to get embarrassed on the road, and realizing that a berth to the Big Ten Tournament was hanging in the balance, Penn State came out firing to open the third quarter. Implementing a full-court press, the Nittany Lions began to frustrate the Hoosiers, constantly pestering them on the inbound. This, combined with a couple of quick fouls to Edessa Noyan, which sent her to the bench, allowed Penn State to gain some momentum. The Nittany Lions went on an 8-0 run early in the third quarter, yet still found themselves in a 27-point hole. The Hoosiers quickly settled in after this, and both teams began trading buckets. After a back-and-forth quarter, the Hoosiers led by 29.
The fourth quarter went about as well as the Hoosiers could have hoped, as they continued to sink shot after shot. After Shay Ciezki hit a three to put Indiana up 40 over her former school, head coach Teri Moren took a timeout to sub her out and allow her to get a standing ovation. Ciezki ended her last game at Assembly Hall with 29 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Jerni Kiaku was next to be subbed out to a standing ovation after playing her final game.
The Hoosiers ended the game with a much-needed 93-59 victory, clinching their spot in the Big Ten Tournament.