BLOOMINGTON — On senior day, nearing the end of a tumultuous regular season, Indiana women’s basketball picked up its best win of the year on Sunday.
IU defeated Oregon, ranked No. 25 on Torvik, 72-65. This is the Hoosiers’ highest-rated victory all season, surpassing their win over Gonzaga in November.
Indiana (15-13, 4-12 Big Ten) built a nine-point lead at halftime, through balanced scoring and effective defense. But the game turned in the third quarter, when the Hoosiers went the entire period without a made field goal. They got seven points at the foul line in the third quarter, which was enough to keep them ahead going into the fourth.
But Teri Moren’s team found a high level of offensive efficiency in the fourth quarter to secure the win. IU shot 76.9 percent from the field in the final period, with a 4-for-5 mark from 3-point range, for 28 points. Oregon (19-10, 7-9) also recorded its highest-scoring quarter of the game in the fourth, with 22 points. But it wasn’t enough for the Ducks, who dropped their third game in their last four.
Big Ten leading scorer Shay Ciezki got off to a slower start than usual, with only nine points on 3-for-12 shooting through the first three quarters. But the senior took off in the final period, shooting 3 for 3 for 11 points to help Indiana get over the line. Ciezki added six rebounds, a team-high six assists with two turnovers, and a steal to her 20 points.
Indiana had three other players score in double figures on Sunday. Lenée Beaumont had a big second half, scoring 10 points to put her at 15 on the day. Edessa Noyan put up 10 in the first half and finished with 16 overall, along with a team-high eight rebounds. And Maya Makalusky chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds.
IU is continuing its fight to make the Big Ten Tournament, as the bottom three teams in the conference standings will not qualify. The Big Ten adjusted its rule to allow all 18 teams on the men’s side to participate, but the women’s basketball tournament remained at 15 teams.
With the win, IU has a one-game hold on the last spot ahead of Penn State. The Hoosiers could essentially secure their place in Indianapolis on Wednesday with a win at Rutgers and a PSU home loss to USC.
Indiana honored seniors Ciezki and Jerni Kiaku before and after the game. IU told The Daily Hoosier that the program scheduled senior day for its penultimate game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall rather than the home finale because Sunday worked better for the seniors’ families than Saturday, Feb. 28.
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