In one of the biggest regular-season games in IU women’s basketball’s history, the Hoosiers kept on rolling.
The No. 6 Hoosiers rode a dominant third quarter to a 78-65 win over No. 2 Ohio State. This was the highest-ranked team IU has beaten this season, and its sixth ranked win of the year — a program record. It’s also IU’s fourth top-10 win of the season, and it’s IU’s first win over a team ranked in the top two in the AP Poll since 1994.
Indiana (19-1, 9-1 Big Ten) temporarily takes sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers move 0.5 games ahead of Iowa, who plays Nebraska on Saturday, and a full game ahead of Ohio State (19-2, 8-2).
The Buckeyes dictated early, controlling the pace and keeping Indiana’s guards quiet. The Hoosiers remained in the game, as Ohio State never led by double digits. Mackenzie Holmes carried the load in the first half while most of her teammates had trouble cracking a physical Ohio State defense.
But everything changed in that third quarter, when Indiana’s guards started hitting some shots. That changed the game, as OSU just wilted. Indiana went on a 23-3 run, and held the Buckeyes to just six points in the quarter. IU forced six turnovers in the period, which set up some easy fastbreak opportunities.
Ohio State fought back in the fourth quarter, cutting a 17-point lead down to eight. But the Hoosiers didn’t blink, and they closed the game out on a 12-7 run over the last 5:30.
Holmes finished with 26 points, her fourth consecutive game with at least 25. She shot 11 for 13 from the field, her fourth-most efficient performance of the season. The Buckeyes had no answers for the senior, aside from fouling her out.
Freshman Yarden Garzon was the one other Hoosier who consistently made things happen in the first half, with nine points. And she kept on going in the second half. The Israeli recorded her first career double-double, with 20 points and 10 rebounds. She entered the game second in the nation in 3-point percentage, and she went 4 for 9 from beyond the arc Wednesday. And she added three steals.
Junior Sydney Parrish put up her third double-double of the season, with 12 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. All her points came in the second half, as she found more success driving to the hoop.
Senior Grace Berger had particular trouble finding separation against Ohio State, but she came up big when it mattered most. She led IU with seven points in the fourth quarter, putting her at 12 on the night. And she tied junior Chloe Moore-McNeil with a team-high six assists.
IU set a regular-season record for attendance, with 10,455 fans packing Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
The Hoosiers host Rutgers on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
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