Indiana secured a significant 71-61 victory over No. 8 Ohio State, marking one of its biggest wins of the season. A key factor was the team’s improved ability to handle Ohio State’s press, along with strong performances from Shay Ciezki, Yarden Garzon, and Sydney Parrish, who each scored 16 points.
Some teams treat games against highly ranked opponents as just another matchup. However, Indiana guard Shay Ciezki acknowledged that the Hoosiers fully recognized Ohio State’s No. 8 ranking ahead of Thursday’s game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Their intensity on the court and emotional celebrations following the 71-61 victory reflected that mindset.
Ciezki emphasized that Indiana’s success came from playing hard, sticking to the game plan, and supporting each other through the game’s ups and downs. Their determination paid off with a crucial victory.
With the win, Indiana improves to 17-9 overall and 9-6 in Big Ten play, tying for sixth place in the conference standings. Ciezki, Yarden Garzon, and Sydney Parrish each contributed 16 points, leading a highly efficient offensive performance. The Hoosiers shot over 50% from the field and beyond the arc while making 85.7% of their free throws.
Parrish noted that past losses to Ohio State were due to struggles against its press, making it a key focus in practice. This time, Indiana handled it much more effectively, using long-range and cross-court passes to disrupt the Buckeyes’ defense. The strategy paid off early, as the Hoosiers scored layups on their first four possessions against the press.
Parrish noted that past losses to Ohio State were due to struggles against its press, making it a key focus in practice. This time, Indiana handled it much more effectively, using long-range and cross-court passes to disrupt the Buckeyes’ defense. The strategy paid off early, as the Hoosiers scored layups on their first four possessions against the press.
Coach Teri Moren emphasized an aggressive approach, and Parrish reminded her teammates not to rely solely on 3-pointers but to attack the basket. After extensive preparation, Moren believed the team was better equipped to handle the pressure and more focused due to previous struggles.
Moren praised the Hoosiers’ performance against the press, despite 10 fourth-quarter turnovers after committing just 11 in the first three quarters. While Ohio State capitalized with 20 points off turnovers, Indiana’s double-digit lead kept it from being too damaging.
She acknowledged the team needed an exceptional effort to win and expressed pride in the players for proving their capability. Moren highlighted how well they handled the press, noting that forcing Ohio State to abandon it boosted their confidence and reinforced their belief that they could secure the victory.
Indiana started strong, hitting nine of its first 10 shots and exploiting mismatches in the post, particularly against Karoline Striplin, who made her first three attempts. A 3-pointer from Sydney Parrish capped off the hot start, prompting an Ohio State timeout as the Hoosiers led 21-15 with 3:52 left in the first quarter.
While Indiana’s efficient offense built an early lead, its defense shut things down late in the quarter. The Hoosiers held Ohio State scoreless for the final 3:08, forcing a turnover and limiting the Buckeyes to five missed shots.
Indiana entered the second quarter with a 26-17 lead, but Ohio State quickly responded. The Buckeyes opened with a 9-0 run, tying the game at 26-26 after Cotie McMahon scored on a layup and a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions.
Moren called a timeout at the 7:30 mark to halt Ohio State’s momentum, and it worked perfectly. On the first possession after the break, Garzon set up Moore-McNeil for a 3-pointer, followed by another from Ciezki to regain control.
Parrish highlighted the team’s composure, noting that unlike in past games, they didn’t panic when Ohio State tied the score. She saw it as a sign of growth, as the Hoosiers had previously struggled to maintain leads in similar situations. Their ability to handle pressure and show maturity was a key focus at halftime, making their response even more encouraging.
Indiana’s timeout also sparked a stronger defensive effort. Over the final 7:30 of the second quarter, the Hoosiers allowed just one field goal—a jumper by Cambridge at the 3:42 mark. While Ohio State limited its turnovers to three in the quarter, it struggled to generate quality shots.
Indiana capitalized by closing the half on a 6-0 run, taking a 40-28 lead over the eighth-ranked team in the country.
Ohio State briefly ended its scoring drought with a Cambridge 3-pointer to start the second half, but Indiana’s defense remained dominant. The Buckeyes shot just 33.3% in the third quarter, managing only 11 points over the middle 20 minutes of the game.
Indiana incorporated more zone defense than usual to keep Ohio State off balance with varied defensive looks. Moren admitted that the team doesn’t typically focus on zone, but executing it effectively was a key factor in the win.
Offensively, Striplin continued to dominate inside, scoring Indiana’s first two baskets of the third quarter. She also demonstrated strong court awareness, recognizing defensive collapses and kicking the ball out to Garzon for a 3-pointer at the 6:20 mark.
The Hoosiers maintained their hot shooting from beyond the arc, with Parrish and Ciezki knocking down key 3-pointers to extend the lead. Ciezki’s shot, made while falling just before the buzzer, put Indiana up 57-39 heading into the fourth quarter, sending the Assembly Hall crowd into celebration.
Ohio State remained in the game during the fourth quarter but never seriously threatened Indiana’s lead. The Buckeyes trimmed an 18-point deficit to 11 after a Madison Greene 3-pointer with 3:55 left. Indiana struggled against Ohio State’s press in the final period, committing 11 turnovers.
Frustration boiled over for Moren, who broke her clipboard after one of those turnovers—an intense moment that seemed to fuel the Hoosiers.
“I think we fed off it,” Ciezki said.
“We like when she gets feisty,” Parrish added. “It’s kind of fun to see.”
Indiana responded with key plays down the stretch. After an intentional foul on McMahon, Ciezki knocked down two free throws, and Garzon followed with a runner off the glass. Moments later, Garzon drilled her third 3-pointer of the game and waved goodbye to the Ohio State bench during a timeout with 1:47 remaining, effectively sealing the win.
Ciezki praised Garzon’s performance—16 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists—calling her “our silent killer.”
As Ciezki and Moore-McNeil walked to the handshake line, they embraced, recognizing they had just secured one of their biggest wins of the season.
“That was a dagger for us,” Ciezki said of Garzon’s clutch 3-pointer. “I think everyone felt it, even Ohio State.”
Ohio State freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge led all scorers with 18 points, while junior forward Cotie McMahon added 14. However, Indiana’s defense limited the rest of the Buckeyes to just 11 made field goals on 39.2% shooting.
The Hoosiers’ pivotal stretch continues with a matchup at No. 22 Michigan State on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, followed by a game against No. 21 Maryland on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Indiana had previously fallen short in home games against ranked teams, losing to No. 4 USC (73-66) and No. 1 UCLA (73-62). Additionally, two road losses last week pushed the Hoosiers to the bubble in ESPN’s latest Bracketology, giving them extra motivation in their win over Ohio State.
Moren emphasized the importance of urgency as the season winds down, noting that the team approached shootaround with a different level of focus.
“These kids, again, their sense of urgency—I know today in shootaround it just felt a little bit different,” she said.
She trusts her veteran-led group to stay motivated and understands the stakes without needing constant reminders. For the same reason, she isn’t overly concerned about complacency after big wins.
Parrish, a fifth-year senior and team leader, believes Thursday’s victory will propel the Hoosiers forward.
“This will do a lot for us,” she said. “We reacted in an amazing way. We didn’t let a couple of losses in the middle of the season bring us all the way down. We stuck together and shared the ball really well, with 21 assists. I think that’s where we get going, and where our offense gets going.”
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