Mackenzie Holmes and Sara Scalia went out in style on Sunday afternoon as Indiana completed a season sweep of traditional national power Maryland.
Holmes did give IU fans a Senior Day scare, however.
The Hoosiers finished their regular season with a 71-54 win over the Terrapins with a 24-4 record overall and a 15-3 mark in the Big Ten.
Scalia led Indiana with 19 points including a 4-of-8 day from beyond the arc. She was one of five Hoosiers in double figures. Yarden Garzon scored 17 and was also 4-of-8 from three.
Holmes only played 23 minutes after suffering a leg injury. She limped to the locker room with team trainers. The program’s all-time leading scorer returned to the bench with just over a minute left in the game to a standing ovation from the crowd. Upon returning, Holmes did not walk with a noticeable limp and seemed to be in good spirits.
IU coach Teri Moren confirmed after the game Holmes is dealing with a left knee injury, although she did not elaborate on the severity.
“On a day where it’s special for our seniors, it was kind of different in terms of how it ended with some injuries and what not, but I was really proud of the way we finished,” Moren said.
Holmes has suffered left knee injuries during each of the last two seasons, and each impacted Indiana’s postseason as she was less than 100 percent in both cases. Her health will obviously be a major storyline to follow as the Hoosiers enter this postseason.
Adding to the injury concerns, Holmes’ backup Lilly Meister suffered what appeared to be a more serious left ankle injury in the second half.
Indiana’s defense was the story of the game. They held Maryland 28 percent shooting and forced 13 turnovers. The Terps scored just 24 points in the first half and only .75 points per possession for the game. IU led 39-24 at the break and Maryland never posed a serious threat after halftime.
For the second straight season, IU went undefeated at home. The Hoosiers earned the No. 3 seed in this week’s Big Ten Tournament.
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