EUGENE, OR — After being one of the bubble teams for the NCAA tournament, the Hoosiers pull off a thrilling victory first round victory in Bendu Yeaney‘s home state of Oregon against the Texas Longhorns. Teri Moren’s team defeats Texas with a final score 69 to 65.
The Hoosiers eliminate the opportunity for the Longhorns to get their fifth straight Sweet Sixteen appearance with their victory this evening.
With a rebounding difference of -21 (Texas had 46 rebounds, Indiana had 25), Indiana was still able to pull off the victory behind the impressive scoring of Jaelynn Penn. Penn continually poked at the rim with her ability to drive and finish at the lane. Texas seemed to have no answer for her until they began to draw offensive fouls in the fourth quarter. Namely Texas guard Sug Sutton looked for charge after charge on what felt like every possession in the final segment.
Even with foul trouble near the end of the game, Penn continued to play aggressive offensively and sank a critical three point jumper to put the Hoosiers up by 4 points with just two minutes to go. Jaelynn would finish the game with a game-high 24 points in 33 minutes of action.
Even with foul trouble near the end of the game, Penn continued to play aggressive offensively and sank a critical three point jumper to put the Hoosiers up by 4 points with just two minutes to go. Jaelynn would finish the game with a game-high 24 points in 33 minutes of action.
Bendu Yeany also had an impressive performance with her 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. She did not disappoint the friends and family who all came to watch her play in Eugene.
Red shirt Junior Ali Patberg, who has been the leading scorer for Indiana all season, had a bit of trouble on the offensive end of things this afternoon; however that was not an issue with the balanced scoring that Teri Moren has established with this Indiana team. Of course this is all relative to Ali Patberg standards. She still finished the game with 10 points to complement her 7 assists as the team’s facilitator.
Patberg’s most important contribution this evening was to guard Texas’s leading scorer Sug Sutton who finished the game with only 8 points. All season long, Ali has had the toughest defensive assignment and when she is able to lock down her opponent, Indiana seems to have greatly improved chances to capture the win.
