BLOOMINGTON — When Indiana and Oklahoma matched up in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, both teams sought revenge.
Both the Hoosiers and Sooners bowed out of last year’s tournament at this same stage. This year, one team would put that behind it, while the other would extend its heartbreak.
And after a tight affair with little separation for much of the game, IU’s night ended in joy. The fourth-seeded Hoosiers celebrated on the court after the final buzzer, with a 75-68 victory.
Indiana advances to the Sweet 16 for the third time in the last four seasons. The Hoosiers will take on No. 1 overall seed South Carolina next weekend in Albany, N.Y.
IU (26-5) closed the third quarter on an 8-3 run after trailing by as many as seven points in the middle of the period. And from there, the game reverted to an extremely back-and-forth affair, like it was in the first half. The teams traded buckets regularly, and the lead flipped nine times in the fourth quarter.
Ultimately, a crucial 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter swung the game Indiana’s way. Graduate student Mackenzie Holmes made a layup during that run, with 1:17 left, to give IU a 66-64 lead. Indiana then forced a turnover, and sophomore Yarden Garzon made a huge shot in the paint to make it a four-point game. IU stretched its lead to six points with 25 seconds left, and though Oklahoma (23-10) didn’t go down quietly, the Sooners ran out of both time and answers.
OU led at halftime, 30-29. The first two quarters were very tight, as neither team led by more than four points. The game was tied at 19 after the first quarter, but both offenses stalled out more in the second quarter — IU went 4 for 14 from the field in the second quarter, while OU went 5 for 19.
Holmes, in her final game at Assembly Hall, was less efficient than normal. But she still made her presence felt on both ends of the court, and stepped up in the game’s biggest moments. The All-American led IU with 29 points on a 12-for-23 line. She also grabbed six rebounds and swatted four blocks.
Sydney Parrish scored 12 points in the first half, and finished with 17 on a 5-of-9 clip. The senior guard also grabbed seven rebounds and dished five assists.
Senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil finished with a team-high nine rebounds, nine points, and five assists.
OU keyed in on IU fifth-year Sara Scalia defensively, severely limiting her open looks. The dynamic shooter finished 2 for 7 from the field for 12 points.
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