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Teri Moren had a strong message for her players after their fifth straight loss in Big Ten play.
Indiana women’s basketball had just lost to Nebraska, 78-73, to drop to 0-5 in conference play. It was a competitive game — the Hoosiers had multiple opportunities to win the game throughout the second half.
But the competitiveness drained in the final minutes of the game.
So, in a 30-minute postgame talk with players and coaches, Moren needed to stress that competitive spirit.
“Her message (postgame) was that we have to come to the game believing that we can win, and that some people didn't believe. I know I did,” sophomore Zania Socka-Nguemen said. “And when we're down, or we're up by one, we have to be ‘Let's go team, we're right there.’ And she was explaining that she needs more competitiveness.”
Indiana’s five-point loss to Nebraska was, by all means, the most competitive conference game the Hoosiers have played yet this season. The other four Big Ten losses have all come by double-digits, including a 21-point loss to Illinois, 23-point loss to Minnesota, 20-point loss to Michigan State and 15-point loss to Minnesota.
The game against Nebraska was one that IU legitimately could’ve won. And, Moren said, they just needed to believe in themselves to do it.
“In those timeouts (near the end of the game) when I had to blow the or call the first one, I had to get in them,” Moren said. “And I wanted them to fight with me, right? I wanted to fight with our staff, like, I'm trying to instill confidence in them. I'm trying to instill having that fighting spirit, but we all have to find it within ourselves.”
Hoosier freshman Maya Makalusky gave Indiana the lead halfway through the third quarter with a crucial four-point play, marking Indiana’s first lead since early in the first quarter. The Hoosiers and Huskers traded leads throughout the fourth quarter, and Indiana got back within three points with just over a minute left in the game.
But a couple miscues, including an ill-timed turnover by Shay Ciezki with under a minute left and a subsequent misguided long-range 3-pointer from Lenee Beaumont out of a timeout, gave Nebraska the edge it needed to avoid the upset.
Outside of those miscues too, there were opportunities for Indiana to pull away. But the Hoosiers, in their youth, just didn’t have it in them in Lincoln.
“The conversations that we should be having with one another (in-game) is how we're going to win this, right,” Moren said. “And instilling confidence in each other and showing some emotion, right? And I always say this, it's about showing emotion, not being emotional, though, right? And I think we need that. I think we need to be more comfortable with showing that we have more of a spirit about us, a competitive spirit.”
3 points: Indiana women's basketball remains winless in Big Ten as comeback bid falls short
It’s something Moren is trying to instill in a young and new team, one that isn’t necessarily used to the culture of Indiana women’s basketball. The Hoosiers returned just four players from 2024-25, including one starter.
Everyone else, including the two freshmen in the starting lineup (Makalusky and Nevaeh Caffey) and most of the bench, are in their first season with IU women’s basketball — or college basketball as a whole.
But time is running out for IU’s players to buy into that competitive spirit Moren wants. A quarter of the way through conference play, Indiana is tied at the bottom of the Big Ten with zero wins. If this trend continues, they’re at risk of even missing the Big Ten tournament, which takes the top 15 of the 18-team conference.
If the Hoosiers want to turn around their season, they’ll need to do it quickly. And it’s an uphill climb, with No. 14 Iowa coming to Bloomington on Sunday.
“You have to inspire the person sitting next to you, that ‘This is our game. This is how we're going to win it, and we all have to believe it.’” Moren said. “And again, you know, we are dealing with some inexperienced kids, some freshmen that are out there … it's not an excuse, but it's my job and our staff's job to show them what that looks like, and ask them to do the things that I think will help us.”
Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar's Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana women's basketball Big Ten record struggles needs 'competitive spirit'
Continue reading...
Indiana women’s basketball had just lost to Nebraska, 78-73, to drop to 0-5 in conference play. It was a competitive game — the Hoosiers had multiple opportunities to win the game throughout the second half.
But the competitiveness drained in the final minutes of the game.
So, in a 30-minute postgame talk with players and coaches, Moren needed to stress that competitive spirit.
“Her message (postgame) was that we have to come to the game believing that we can win, and that some people didn't believe. I know I did,” sophomore Zania Socka-Nguemen said. “And when we're down, or we're up by one, we have to be ‘Let's go team, we're right there.’ And she was explaining that she needs more competitiveness.”
Indiana’s five-point loss to Nebraska was, by all means, the most competitive conference game the Hoosiers have played yet this season. The other four Big Ten losses have all come by double-digits, including a 21-point loss to Illinois, 23-point loss to Minnesota, 20-point loss to Michigan State and 15-point loss to Minnesota.
The game against Nebraska was one that IU legitimately could’ve won. And, Moren said, they just needed to believe in themselves to do it.
“In those timeouts (near the end of the game) when I had to blow the or call the first one, I had to get in them,” Moren said. “And I wanted them to fight with me, right? I wanted to fight with our staff, like, I'm trying to instill confidence in them. I'm trying to instill having that fighting spirit, but we all have to find it within ourselves.”
Hoosier freshman Maya Makalusky gave Indiana the lead halfway through the third quarter with a crucial four-point play, marking Indiana’s first lead since early in the first quarter. The Hoosiers and Huskers traded leads throughout the fourth quarter, and Indiana got back within three points with just over a minute left in the game.
But a couple miscues, including an ill-timed turnover by Shay Ciezki with under a minute left and a subsequent misguided long-range 3-pointer from Lenee Beaumont out of a timeout, gave Nebraska the edge it needed to avoid the upset.
Outside of those miscues too, there were opportunities for Indiana to pull away. But the Hoosiers, in their youth, just didn’t have it in them in Lincoln.
“The conversations that we should be having with one another (in-game) is how we're going to win this, right,” Moren said. “And instilling confidence in each other and showing some emotion, right? And I always say this, it's about showing emotion, not being emotional, though, right? And I think we need that. I think we need to be more comfortable with showing that we have more of a spirit about us, a competitive spirit.”
3 points: Indiana women's basketball remains winless in Big Ten as comeback bid falls short
It’s something Moren is trying to instill in a young and new team, one that isn’t necessarily used to the culture of Indiana women’s basketball. The Hoosiers returned just four players from 2024-25, including one starter.
Everyone else, including the two freshmen in the starting lineup (Makalusky and Nevaeh Caffey) and most of the bench, are in their first season with IU women’s basketball — or college basketball as a whole.
But time is running out for IU’s players to buy into that competitive spirit Moren wants. A quarter of the way through conference play, Indiana is tied at the bottom of the Big Ten with zero wins. If this trend continues, they’re at risk of even missing the Big Ten tournament, which takes the top 15 of the 18-team conference.
If the Hoosiers want to turn around their season, they’ll need to do it quickly. And it’s an uphill climb, with No. 14 Iowa coming to Bloomington on Sunday.
“You have to inspire the person sitting next to you, that ‘This is our game. This is how we're going to win it, and we all have to believe it.’” Moren said. “And again, you know, we are dealing with some inexperienced kids, some freshmen that are out there … it's not an excuse, but it's my job and our staff's job to show them what that looks like, and ask them to do the things that I think will help us.”
Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar's Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana women's basketball Big Ten record struggles needs 'competitive spirit'
Continue reading...
