Two weeks with no games has been just what the doctor ordered for the IU women.
Indiana will begin in its March Madness run Saturday in Bloomington at full strength.
All-American center Mackenzie Holmes is healthy and expected to start when the Hoosiers face Fairfield in first round NCAA Tournament action.
“We are much healthier. Mack (Holmes) has been really good all week, has been constant in practice,” IU coach Teri Moren said Friday at a media availability.
“This break has been really good for this group.”
Moren said Holmes is not on any kind of minutes restriction Saturday.
Holmes could be observed wearing a brace on her left knee during a Friday open practice, but she appeared to be moving comfortably at full speed.
A little snippet of #iuwbb practice ahead of the Fairfield game tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/HEajnD5ZNl
— Seth Tow (@SethTow) March 22, 2024
Holmes aggravated a recurring knee issue in the regular season finale against Maryland on March 3. She did not start in Indiana’s Big Ten Tournament opener against Michigan two weeks ago, but she was already cleared to play at that point. And Holmes did make a desperation late game appearance in the loss to the Wolverines.
Indiana’s all-time leading scorer, Holmes is leading the Hoosiers with 20 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game this season, across 29 games. She’s recorded double-digit points in 27 games this year. She’s shot 66.7 percent from the field — the best mark in the nation among qualified players — and she’s gone 72.1 percent at the foul line.
Moren said Indiana will have its normal starting lineup for the NCAA first round matchup.
Senior wing Sydney Parrish and reserve sophomore forward Lilly Meister have also been recovering from lower leg injuries. Moren said both players are healthy, and both were active participants in the open practice.
Indiana and Fairfield tip at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
| GAME DAY INFO |
| (#14/14) 4-seed Indiana (24-5) vs. (#25/RV) 13-seed Fairfield (31-1) |
| Saturday, March 23, 2024 • 1:30 p.m. ET |
| Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall • Bloomington, Ind. |
| Broadcast: ESPN2 (Angel Gray, Andrea Lloyd) |
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