Indiana is headed to the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis with a lot of uncertainty.
Not the least of which is who the Hoosiers will face when they open action on Friday evening at the Target Center.
The No. 3 seed, Indiana could face any of Rutgers, Minnesota or Michigan depending on how things play out on Wednesday and Thursday.
IU also doesn’t know for sure who will be available to play when they take the floor Friday.
After suffering injuries on Sunday, All-American center Mackenzie Holmes and her backup Lilly Meister both missed practice on Tuesday, and they’ll sit out practice again on Wednesday.
IU coach Teri Moren shed a bit more light on what each player is dealing with.
And in the case of Holmes, it is hauntingly familiar.
“It’s what she’s (Holmes) done in the past, she has a kneecap that wants to shift in and out, and that’s basically what it is again.” Moren said via Zoom on Wednesday morning.
Holmes suffered the injury in the third quarter of Indiana’s Senior Day win over Maryland. She left the floor but returned in good spirits and walked without an obvious limp. Each of Indiana’s last two postseason runs have been impacted by Holmes’ knee issue.
Meister’s injury came in the fourth quarter of the same game, and it was something she was noticeably hampered by as she left the court.
“Lilly had quite a sprained ankle,” Moren said.
If both Holmes and Meister are unavailable, Indiana plans to go with a small-ball approach, with 6-foot-3 wing Yarden Garzon at the center spot.
“That’s the great thing about having Yarden, she’s super-smart, you can move her in a lot of different spots for us,” Moren said.
Indiana could have as many as three games this weekend if they reach the championship on Sunday. If either Holmes or Meister end up being available, Moren will have to balance the desire to win the Big Ten against being fully healthy and ready for the NCAA Tournament that starts March 22-23.
What makes things even trickier for Moren and Indiana, the Hoosiers (24-4) are right on the edge of earning a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would assure them of playing the first two rounds at home. A first round loss at the Big Ten Tournament could put a No. 4 seed or better in jeopardy, although the NCAA Tournament Committee could also take their injury situation into account.
“We’re going to do whatever we can to help Mack and help Lilly get out there (this weekend), but if at any point it’s not safe for them to be out there, we won’t do it. There is a bigger picture here (the NCAA), but if both of those guys can go, they’re going to play (at the Big Ten).”
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