COLUMBIA, S.C. – Final 12 months in Albany, New York, Daybreak Staley and South Carolina ended Indiana’s season within the Candy Sixteen.
A 12 months later, the Gamecocks once more ended IU’s season within the second spherical of the NCAA event, 64-53, at Colonial Life Area.
Indiana was a heavy underdog coming into the sport – South Carolina was favored by 22.5 factors – nevertheless it had momentum within the first half. The Hoosiers led 26-25 at halftime. It was a promising first begin for Indiana, fueled by its protection.
South Carolina scored seven factors within the recreation’s first 5 minutes however managed simply two factors within the ultimate 4:59 of the opening quarter. The 9 factors for the Gamecocks within the opening ten minutes tied their fewest factors scored in 1 / 4 this season. The Gamecocks shot simply 4-for-17 (23.5 p.c) within the first quarter.
South Carolina’s offense began to get on observe within the second quarter, however the protection saved the Hoosiers afloat. The Gamecocks narrowly outscored IU within the second quarter – 16 to 14 – as IU went to the break with a one-point cushion.
Indiana’s guard play was enormous within the first half, led by senior Chloe Moore-McNeil and Shay Ciezki. Moore-McNeil completed the half with a team-high 10 factors and Ciezki added seven.
However it didn’t take lengthy for the defending nationwide champions to take management within the second half in entrance of a crowd of greater than 12,000 followers.
Energized and hungry for a press release, South Carolina got here out blistering within the third quarter, scoring 26 factors to regain management. Indiana fell behind because the Gamecocks offense began to pile on alongside the pricey turnovers of Indiana. The Hoosiers dedicated 5 turnovers within the third quarter.
“Clearly, they’re the No. 1 staff within the nation when it comes to transition offense and capitalizing on folks’s turnovers,” Moore-McNeil stated. “I feel, yeah, they did have strain on us at occasions, however on the similar time, I feel we did have some careless errors.”
IU’s Achilles heel was caring for the ball, because the Hoosiers had 16 turnovers. South Carolina scored 18 factors off of these errors.
After being held scoreless within the first half, South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts heated up within the third quarter, scoring seven of her 10 factors within the body. The Gamecocks shot 11-for-16 within the third quarter.
“It was the third quarter that sort of did us in,” Teri Moren stated. “14 factors, I feel they scored within the paint within the third. We had 5 turnovers. Simply pricey popping out of halftime. Aside from that, the primary, second, fourth quarter, we had been proper there. So, if we might have any do-overs, it will have been that third quarter. Perhaps we might have gotten the end result we needed.”
The barrage of factors at the beginning of the second half was an excessive amount of for Indiana to beat, and in the end, it was the rationale their season ended. South Carolina now owns a 5-2 file over the Hoosiers, with Staley incomes her second victory over Indiana in her tenure.
The sport marked the ultimate time for Sydney Parrish and Moore-McNeil to play in an IU uniform.
Parrish ended her five-year profession having performed the ultimate three seasons with the Hoosiers and accumulating 1,389 profession factors. She had six factors, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in her ultimate recreation as a Hoosier. And Moore-McNeil cemented herself as top-of-the-line defenders in program historical past and completed fifth in IU program historical past in assists. The fifth-year senior had 10 factors, 4 assists and three rebounds on Sunday.
“I do know the portal opens tomorrow and quite a lot of these children are going to be hopping round doing various things, however Syd and Chloe have gained quite a lot of video games at Indiana,” Moren stated. “They’ve gained a Massive Ten championship and put us in positions throughout March which have been actually particular. There’s little doubt that the 2 of those guys have left a legacy at Indiana. That’s actually all you need out of your profession. I’m very pleased with them.”
(Photograph credit score: IU Athletics)
Class: Ladies’s Basketball
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