The Daily Hoosier

IU women’s basketball ready to be tested by Tennessee in top-15 Monday night matchup

November 14, 2022 Mike Schumann Women's Basketball 2

After winning their first two games by an average margin of 46.5 points, it’s fair to say Indiana is ready for a stiffer challenge.

They’ll get all they can handle on Monday night.

The first top-25 matchup is set for the No. 11 Hoosiers when they take on No. 5/4 Tennessee on Monday in Knoxville, Tenn. The game will air live on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Indiana is off to a 2-0 start after opening week, recording a pair of wins over Vermont and UMass Lowell at home. Senior forward Mackenzie Holmes led the way with 16.5 points over the pair of games, while adding 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.  Overall IU has four averaging double figure points and six averaging more than eight per game.

Meanwhile, Tennessee split a pair of games during the opening week, and they’ll likely fall a bit in the rankings prior to Monday’s tip.  The Vols lost at No. 14/15 Ohio State on Tuesday and picked up a victory over UMass at home on  Thursday.

Senior forward Rickea Jackson is averaging 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds through those two games while three others also average double figures including All-American seniors Jordan Horston (12.5 ppg.) and Tamari Key (10.5 ppg.).

Making things more difficult on Monday will be one of women’s college basketball’s most difficult road environments.  The Volunteers averaged 7,571 fans at their home games a year ago at the Thompson-Bowling Arena.

“It’s an early great challenge for us,” head coach Teri Moren said on Sunday.  “It’s going to give us a barometer for some of the things we’ve put in.  It’s going to be a tough environment.  It’s everything that I think we need right now.  An early test in a raucous environment.  I think it will be really good for our group and our staff.”

GAME DAY NOTES

GAME DAY INFO

#11/11 Indiana (2-0) at #5/4 Tennessee

Monday, November 14, 2022 • 6 p.m. ET

Thompson-Bowling Arena • Knoxville, Tenn.

Broadcast: ESPN2 (Courtney Lyle, Carolyn Peck)

ABOUT THE COACHES

Indiana

Tennessee

Teri Moren

Kellie Harper

Career Record: 373-219 (20th Season)

Career Record: 349-236 (18th Season)

Indiana Record: 174-89 (9th Season)

Tennessee Record: 64-28 (3rd Season)

IU and Tennessee met during the pandemic season in 2020 in a game scheduled midway through the non-conference schedule due to COVID-19 cancellations. The Lady Vols traveled to Bloomington on Dec. 17, 2020. The Hoosiers fell 66-58 in the matchup, its first in the series with the SEC foe since its only other meeting in 1987 – a 91-59 win for then No. 1 Tennessee in Cincinnati, Ohio in the Communiplex Classic.

Indiana junior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil returns to her home state on Monday night. The Sharon, Tenn. native will play her first collegiate game in the state she grew up in.  Sharon is five hours from Knoxville.

Tennessee guard Jasmine Powell was a teammate of IU guard Sara Scalia at Minnesota.

The Hoosiers also have a former Lady Vol on their staff in director of player development Briana Schomaeker, who played for them from 2008-12.

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