It is sensible why Lilly Meister would possibly really feel strain this season.
Indiana ladies’s basketball’s junior ahead shall be tasked with filling the sneakers of Mackenzie Holmes, a former first group All-American and this system’s all-time main scorer. Meister embraced the position as Holmes’ understudy the final two years, but it surely’s clear she’s striving to carve her personal path.
“I need everyone to understand it’s Lilly Meister,” Chloe Moore-McNeil mentioned Wednesday at Indiana’s media day at Prepare dinner Corridor. “It’s not ‘Little Mack’, ‘Child Mack’. Lilly, she has her personal recreation.”
After logging 6.5 minutes per recreation as a freshman, Meister averaged 10.5 final season. Regardless of the uptick in her minutes, the offense remained centered round Holmes’ inside skill. That’s not the case anymore.
Whereas Meister has tried simply two 3-pointers in her collegiate profession, she’ll be requested to area the ground and step out past the arc way more this season. Teri Moren plans to implement rules from Princeton’s five-out offense and emphasize off-ball motion.
For Meister, that’s music to her ears.
“I feel that enhances my confidence slightly bit as a result of that’s extra of my recreation,” Meister mentioned. “I grew up taking part in extra of a 5 out and that simply matches me. It’s who I’m.”
That mentality shall be key. Moore-McNeil — coming into her fifth season at Indiana — mentioned it’s straightforward to see Meister’s “hearth” when she faucets into her confidence. It helps, too, that there shall be no scarcity of surrounding shooters.
Indiana introduced in junior Shay Ciezki from Penn State to recoup a few of Sara Scalia’s manufacturing taking pictures. Moore-McNeil, Sydney Parrish and Yarden Garzon have confirmed adept from past the arc. In apply, Meister’s teammates are seeing why she would possibly add a brand new dimension to the Hoosiers’ offense.
“Lilly didn’t get an excessive amount of taking part in time behind Mackenzie the final two years,” Parrish mentioned. “However coming into her new position this 12 months, you see her stepping out to the 3-point line pulling down shot after shot after shot.”
Whereas Meister’s taking part in time was restricted, her apply reps had been very important. Studying from Holmes, Meister improved each on offense along with her again to the basket and on protection guarding the rim.
It helped her opponent was a Picket Award finalist and power on each ends of the ground.
“Defensively, she received higher having to do this day in and day trip,” Moren mentioned. “However on the opposite aspect of that, she was additionally going towards Mack offensively, so she needed to be taught to attain in several methods.”
Former gamers making an impression on workers
Moore-McNeil admitted it was bizarre to see Holmes and not using a jersey at apply.
After concluding an illustrious taking part in profession, Holmes was employed as a graduate supervisor on the Hoosiers’ workers in July. However Holmes received’t be the one acquainted face on the sidelines this season.
Keyanna Warthen performed 116 video games at Indiana and was a member of the 2021 Elite Eight squad. After spending final 12 months as an assistant coach underneath former IU affiliate head coach Glenn Field at Miami (OH), Warthen was introduced again to Bloomington.
Moren mentioned it’s invaluable to have staffers who can attest higher than most to this system’s tradition and expectations.
“That goes a great distance, particularly with the mother and father,” Moren mentioned. “When you will have former gamers that need to come again and so they need to be part of this place — need to be part of your program — I feel that speaks volumes to what we’ve been in a position to do.”
The workers makeover included the promotion of Ali Patberg, who will function a full-time assistant coach this season. Patberg earned 4 All-Large Ten choices as a participant and was drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2022.
Her impression is obvious in practices. Sophomore Lenee Beaumont mentioned Patberg understands the “ups and downs of a season” and always supplies reassurance and instills confidence.
Together with the event aspect, Patberg is already offering recruiting wins. When Ciezki entered the switch portal, she had a cellphone name with Patberg that marked the start of a tight-knit bond. The 2 mentioned religion and Patberg’s expertise transferring to Indiana from Notre Dame and Ciezki was offered.
“We had been type of simply joined on the hip since then,” Ciezki mentioned. “AP is somebody that I didn’t essentially assume I wanted in my life till I met her. She confirmed me that there’s a love of the sport.”
‘Seamless’ transition for newcomers
Ciezki and Tennessee senior switch Karoline Striplin rapidly grew to become shut, which helped as a result of they had been the group’s solely two transfers.
The primary day Striplin was on campus, the 2 had dinner at Da Vinci Pizza & Pasta. Sophomore Lexus Bargesser mentioned the group hangs out often off the courtroom and has already developed sturdy chemistry.
Moren referred to as the transition “seamless.” For Ciezki and Striplin, it helped too that they walked in with an understanding of Indiana’s mindset. Ciezski — who Moren calls a “bulldog” — was struck by the quantity of gamers coaching on an early Saturday morning when she initially visited.
“It’s Saturday morning,” Ciezki mentioned. “From that time I used to be like ‘OK they work right here.’ These individuals are within the health club always, and I like it.”
All through the recruiting course of, Ciezki’s golden phrase was “like-minded.” She wished a group that performs relentless protection. She wished a group that will be part of her within the health club to place up further photographs or run.
At Indiana, Moren preaches simply that.
“Being within the health club, doing greater than what’s required right here isn’t simply an expectation,” Moren mentioned. “It’s grow to be a life-style for our gamers.”
As for Striplin, who averaged a career-best 7.2 factors and three.1 rebounds final season, that work ethic was established at Tennessee. She backed up No. 4 WNBA draft choose Rickea Jackson and understands the usual a powerhouse program requires.
Striplin matches proper in on a group the place toughness and grit are conditions.
“Particularly being a submit, I feel you will have to have the ability to take lots of hits with out essentially getting the entire glory,” Striplin mentioned. “That’s one thing I’m comfortable with. I really feel like that’s type of the tradition coach Moren has constructed right here.”
(Picture credit score: IU Athletics)
Filed to:
