BLOOMINGTON — Mackenzie Holmes wasn’t focused on setting the Indiana women’s basketball career scoring record. She just wanted to complete a career sweep of Purdue.
On Sunday, she accomplished both.
Holmes made IU history in the fourth quarter, on a layup from the right low post, and checked out of the game to a standing ovation and hugs from everyone on the Indiana bench. And No. 14 IU dismantled its in-state rival, 95-62, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
The Hoosiers (20-3, 11-2 Big Ten) held a comfortable lead for much of the first half, and took a 41-30 lead to the locker room. And then they ran away with the game in the third quarter, outscoring Purdue 31-16 in the period.
This extended Indiana’s winning streak over its in-state rival to 11 games. Purdue (10-13, 3-9) hasn’t defeated the Hoosiers since January 2019.
And with No. 2 Iowa’s loss at Nebraska on Sunday, the Hoosiers pulled into a tie with the Hawkeyes for second place in the Big Ten standings.
Holmes entered the game 17 points shy of passing Tyra Buss to become the program’s all-time scoring leader. And she had just six at halftime. But she found a rhythm in the second half, and racked up the 11 points she needed to set the mark.
IU had big games from several other players on Sunday as well. Chloe Moore-McNeil set career highs with five made 3-pointers, on five attempts, and with 22 points. The senior added five assists and five rebounds.
Sara Scalia added 19 points, on a 7-for-13 clip. And she, too, made history. The fifth-year tied Tyra Buss for second in program history with 75 made 3-pointers in a single season. Scalia went 4 for 8 from beyond the arc to reach that mark, and she finished with 19 points.
Sophomore Lexus Bargesser also tied a career high with nine rebounds, and she added 12 points.
IU hits the road this week to take on Wisconsin on Wednesday in Madison.
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