COLUMBUS, Ohio – 10 minutes. 10 factors. 11 turnovers.
It was a sport Indiana may have received. It was a sport Indiana would have received if they’d performed persistently. If solely they’d a bit of bit extra depth. If solely they’d a bit of bit extra management. If solely they’d adjusted a bit of bit higher, a bit of bit quicker.
Indiana knew what they have been going up towards once they performed Ohio State. The Buckeyes are infamous for his or her full-court press and basic defensive strain, one thing the Hoosiers have been all too acquainted with after faltering towards that press within the Huge Ten match final season. The matchup between No. 10 Indiana and No. 8 Ohio State was one which, for all the joy and anticipation surrounding it, was comparatively predictable.
The sport would revolve across the press.
So, when the Buckeyes turned up the depth within the second half, the Hoosiers knew what they wanted to do. However they couldn’t do it. That they had ready, however they weren’t prepared.
“We have been ready — tried to organize our guys for that aggressiveness that was going to return with the press,” Teri Moren stated. “It wasn’t like we have been shocked by it, however we simply didn’t deal with it very properly.”
In case you needed to decide two phrases to explain Indiana’s 74-69 loss to Ohio State Sunday afternoon, they’d be “turnovers” and “press”. Indiana’s 11 third-quarter turnovers made up nearly half of their complete of 23 and Ohio State capitalized on Indiana’s sloppiness to attain 21 factors off these turnovers.
“That’s the sport proper there,” Moren stated. “We are able to dissect it any approach you need, however that’s the sport.”
40 minutes. 23 Indiana turnovers. 21 Ohio State factors.
But it surely all comes again to at least one different stat line.
10 minutes, 10 factors, 11 turnovers.
That’s additionally the sport. That was Indiana’s third quarter.
The Hoosiers turned the ball over twice in 18 seconds popping out of halftime, a product of the Buckeyes guarding them as near the baseline as potential. Because the quarter continued, Indiana was frequently compelled into sloppy passes and dangerous choices whereas making an attempt to cross the half-court line.
“We have been all responsible,” Moren stated.
They have been responsible of poor spacing, speeding and easily not enjoying how they wanted to.
“All of us are responsible of 1 or two we want we may get again,” Moren stated. “And you may’t do this towards a staff like Ohio State as a result of they make you pay.”
As a result of whereas Indiana was struggling to even get to the opposite aspect of the ground, Ohio State was racing up and down the courtroom to outscore Indiana 23-10. By all accounts, 1 / 4 with extra turnovers than factors could possibly be insurmountable. It nearly was.
The Buckeyes rolled into the fourth quarter with the identical ease and confidence they’d simply displayed and constructed their result in 14 factors with seven and a half minutes remaining. The Hoosiers seemed dejected and dissatisfied. With below one minute to go, although, they kicked it into excessive gear and minimize their deficit to 3 factors. But it surely was too late.
“We simply ran out of time,” Moren stated.
A couple of minutes of aggressive protection and on-the-mark capturing don’t make up for the opposite 35-plus minutes of inconsistent scoring and poor decision-making. It doesn’t make up for the ten factors and 11 turnovers in 10 minutes.
But it surely does permit Indiana to depart Ohio with some hope.
Sara Scalia scored 25 factors for her seventh sport of the season placing up at the very least 20 factors and confirmed off her velocity and ball-handling talents within the cases when Indiana may break via the press. Yarden Garzon scored 14 factors, had 9 rebounds and hit two clutch 3-pointers within the sport’s closing minute.
Indiana realized what it was prefer to go up towards an aggressive protection, come near profitable and fall brief. They realized what they should do to interrupt a press and the best way to work collectively to get again within the sport after what may have defeated a staff’s morale. The loss wasn’t good, nevertheless it was productive.
“All of those have been actually arduous classes, however we take each lesson that we’ve realized and we’ve turn into higher due to it,” Moren stated.
The loss is Indiana’s third of the season. All three losses have been on the highway, in good environments, to ranked groups. Indiana’s different two losses — Stanford and Iowa — have been blowouts, leaving the Hoosiers pissed off and upset with themselves. That’s to not say they aren’t feeling the identical approach after Sunday’s sport; Moren’s squad shouldn’t be one to shrink back from recognizing their faults. This loss does have some vivid spots, although, whereas the opposite two didn’t.
On this one, Indiana confirmed some combat.
(Picture credit score: IU Athletics)
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