The Indiana women’s basketball program is looking to bounce back from an early NCAA Tournament exit last season. After securing the first one-seed in Indiana program history a season ago, it was a shocking second-round exit to Miami that left every in and around the program stunned.
It was the first time since the 2019 NCAA Tournament that Indiana failed to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
So coming back this season meant most of the same roster was looking to use that loss as fuel.
“I don’t think we’re over it, and I think that’s kind of going to put us on a good first step into the season because I don’t think you can get over it after the great season we had during the regular season and the postseason,” Indiana women’s basketball senior wing Sydney Parrish said at IU’s Media Day. “I really, for me at least, I’m not over it. People still mention it a lot and it kind of hurts. I think that’ll just be another thing that drives us through the season.”
Indiana currently sits at 17-2 overall and 8-1 in Big Ten play. But, it has been a bit shaky at times. In two notable ranked road matchups this year to Iowa and Stanford, Indiana has lost by an average of 29.5 points per game. It does have a ranked neutral site win over Tennessee.
So, according to most NCAA Tournament Bracketologists, Indiana sits on that 3/4 line.
The Hoosiers are a 3 seed in the latest CBS Sports projections — Iowa being the only Big Ten team higher, at No. 1 seed.
“The Hoosiers have lost only on the road to both Stanford and Iowa this season. While that’s nothing to scoff at, the losses came by a combined 59 points, leaving some concern to how they stack up against serious contenders,” CBS Sports Bracketologist Connor Groel wrote. “Luckily, following their game against Northwestern on Sunday, Indiana will play Maryland, Ohio State and Michigan State in a hugely important three-game stretch.”
In the ESPN projections, Indiana is a 4 seed, with Iowa (2) and Ohio State (3) the two teams higher than IU.
Indiana’s faces No. 8 Ohio State once this year in Columbus on Feb. 4.
IU’s remaining ranked matchup other than Ohio State is at home against No. 3 Iowa on Feb. 22.
The next time out for Indiana is Wednesday at Maryland.
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