BLOOMINGTON — Indiana women’s basketball found its footing by beating up on its rival at Assembly Hall on Saturday afternoon
The Hoosiers were coming off disappointing road losses to Minnesota and Michigan that left coaches and players frustrated. They channeled those emotions into a 78-56 win over Purdue that keep the Barn Burner Trophy in Bloomington.
After scoring 30 points in the first quarter, the Hoosiers (16-9; 8-6 Big Ten) coasted to their 12th straight win (ninth by double digits) over Purdue (9-16; 2-12) going back to the 2018-19 season.
The teams face off again in their respective regular-season finales on March 2 in West Lafayette, but before IU heads up the road for the rematch it will have three straight games against ranked opponents that could make or break its NCAA tournament chances.
Indiana women’s basketball steamrolls Boilermakers in opening minutes
Indiana needed very little time to open up a 20-2 lead over its rival.
Purdue coach Katie Geralds called multiple timeouts in hopes of blunting IU’s early momentum, but the Boilermakers didn’t have any answers. Their transition defense was non-existent — they gave up 11 fastbreak points in the first quarter — and they were were extremely careless with the basketball.
It was a bad combination with IU going on a 15-0 run in less than three minutes on its way to dropping 30 points on Purdue in the opening frame. Every Hoosiers starter had at least five points in the quarter and they combined for eight assists on 12 field goals.
Indiana forward Yarden Garzon helped kick it all off by scoring Indiana’s first seven points. It was an encouraging performance from the junior who was held to just two points (1 of 4) in her team’s recent loss to Michigan. She finished the game with 18 points as one of three IU players in double-digits.
Indiana women’s basketball stumbles across the finish line against Purdue
While the result was never in question, Indiana women’s basketball had a lackluster second half. The Hoosiers turned the ball over 10 times and their was a noticeable dip in their defensive intensity.
They had built enough of a cushion that Purdue still trailed by 18 points after going on a 13-0 run in the third quarter. The Boilermakers couldn’t even cut into IU’s lead when it scored just two fields through the first eight minutes of the fourth.
Indiana coach Teri Moren was able to take out all five starters off the floor with 2:43 left in the game, but she was clearly frustrated at her team’s mental lapses as it looked to close out an easy victory.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IU women’s basketball overwhelms Purdue for 12th straight win in the series
