B1G Game 2: Gophers visit Indiana 12-29-25

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Ignatius L Hoops

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Last season, Indiana racked up its sixth consecutive NCAA appearance and seventh in head coach Teri Moren’s 12 seasons. It was a bit of a struggle for the Hoosiers who finished 20-13 including a 10-8 conference record good for a four-way tie for seventh. IU even lost to Minnesota at Williams Arena 56-66. Indiana had no answers for Battle with 16 points and 7 rebounds; Hart with 14 and 8 and Heyer with 10 and 13. Meanwhile the Gophers contained Hoosier stars Shay Ciezki, 12 points, and Yarden Garzon, 6 points. In the NCAA’s Indiana defeated Utah 76-68 before being sent home by South Carolina 53-64. Then the roster fun begun.

Three Hoosiers, including scoring guard Sydney Parrish graduated. Five, including Lexus Bargasser and Lilly Meister immediately entered the portal. And finally, Indiana’s leading scorer Yardon Garzon capped the festivities by transferring to Maryland. Poof! Nearly 80% of IU’s offense had evaporated.

Teri Moren responded by putting together this season’s 13 player roster including 6 transfers and 2 freshmen. Er…make that 12 players because 6’3” forward Sydney Fenn is out following knee surgery. Er,,,make that 11 players because 10 game starter Valentyna Kadlecova returned to the Czech Republic a week ago to turn pro. Er…Maybe make that 10 because 6-3” sophomore forward and prime UCLA transfer, Zania Socka-Nguemen, whom started the first ten games (13 points and 9 rebounds per game), suffered a leg injury that has her listed as week to week.

Still, Indiana remains a dangerous team. They are 11-2 with losses to Iowa State 95-106 (Audi Crooks dropped 47) and Illinois 57-78 (the Illini scored 58 paint points). Minnesota needs to challenge the Hoosiers inside.

Three Hoosiers have started every game. Senior guard 5’7” Shay Ciezki has upped her play and the former Nittany Lion is averaging 24.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 34.6 minutes. 6’1” sophomore guard Lenee Beaumont, who sat out last season, is averaging 15.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 32.1 minutes. And 5’10” freshman guard Neveah Caffey averages 6.6. points and 3.2 rebounds in 27.5 minutes.

The two players filling the starter roles in IU’s most recent game, a win over Western Carolina, were: 6’3” freshman forward Maya Mkalusky 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 18.2 minutes and 6’3” junior forward Edessa Noyan 5.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 19.7 minutes.

Minnesota probably wins in Bloomington by driving the lane and with Mckinney neutralizing Ciezki. Er…unless Socka-Nguemen returns to the court.
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Today’s IU injury report:
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#23 Zania Socka-Nguemen
#31 Faith Wiseman
 


Another slow start, this team can simply not shoot layups or under the basket. Be nice if those shots would fall and create momentum.
 

Need to stop taking bad shots too. Offense needs to be driven off transition.
 





Not like Indiana a defensive or offensive juggernaut. Need to pick up the scoring in transition. Hopefully Gophers can get some movement and run more in second half.
 


I’ve come to realize coach P is a defensive minded coach. Not sure offense gets better without more athleticism to play in transition.

Glad a non conference men’s game is airing on BTN over a conference women’s game. SMH.
 

Games on Big 10 +. I get that channel but am stuck at work. Trying to get the audio from Gophersports a challenge.
 




They would have a double digit lead if..they..could..just..hit..a..layup
 

Tonga post passing is nice to see! Can’t understand how a team can miss so many layups.
 

Kinda like the way that Glenn and McKinney have, for the most part, put on enough defensive pressure up top and prevented the guards from being able to get to and make a tight cut off the high screen. Indiana seems to be able to get better screens and tight cuts when others are out front on defense in the 2nd quarter.
 



Guess a lead at half is good, but what could have been.
 

Better second quarter but still too many missed layups. Felt like the Gophers could really pull away if they go in. I really hope in a future press conference coach P is asked why this continues to be an issue 3 years in? I like the D and that Grace was finally looking to score. Hope they continue turning over the Hoosiers in the second half. Go Gophers!
 

DietCokeFan said:
Tonga post passing is nice to see! Can’t understand how a team can miss so many layups.
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This is a problem for most teams not just Minnesota. Imo it's because the women's game is played below the rim while the men's game is played above the rim.
 

Katogopher said:
it’s early but the team looks flat, hope they find a spark. Can’t figure out why they cannot create plays for Grace.
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Generally a motion offense is not designed to get a specific player a shot. It's designed to get any of your shooters a specific shot or opportunity. Move the ball up and down, side to side, go to the post for a 1 on 1 opportunity under the basket and if it's not there, pass it back out to (hopefully) an open shooter. Of course, it depends on your players making good reads, cuts and passes to the right areas of the court. In bounds plays are where you see coaches look to try and get a specific player get the ball in a specific, comfortable shooting spot on the floor.
 

1. McKinney and Battle stay aggressive
2. Braun no hero ball
3. Contain Indiana only two shooters

Do those three things and this should be a easy double digit gopher win.
 

Chico Gopher said:
Generally a motion offense is not designed to get a specific player a shot. It's designed to get any of your shooters a specific shot or opportunity. Move the ball up and down, side to side, go to the post for a 1 on 1 opportunity under the basket and if it's not there, pass it back out to (hopefully) an open shooter. Of course, it depends on your players making good reads, cuts and passes to the right areas of the court. In bounds plays are where you see coaches look to try and get a specific player get the ball in a specific, comfortable shooting spot on the floor.
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Gophers could still run a set for a particular shooter.
 

Chico Gopher said:
Generally a motion offense is not designed to get a specific player a shot. It's designed to get any of your shooters a specific shot or opportunity. Move the ball up and down, side to side, go to the post for a 1 on 1 opportunity under the basket and if it's not there, pass it back out to (hopefully) an open shooter. Of course, it depends on your players making good reads, cuts and passes to the right areas of the court. In bounds plays are where you see coaches look to try and get a specific player get the ball in a specific, comfortable shooting spot on the floor.
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They have 4 assists on 14 baskets. Niko would vomit. 😉
 

MaxyJR1 said:
GG needs to take shots. I think she paces herself too much on offense.
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Probably taught to take what the defense gives you. If you have to make a great play to get an open shot, probably means the defense is making a specific effort to make sure you don't beat them and it won't really be a good shot, but rather a forced shot. Instead, create more movement by passing (she's very good at that) and somebody else will have something more open. I like that her basketball IQ is high enough that she doesn't just jack up shots every time she can see the basket, but instead looks for good shots; either hers or somebody else.
 

Black N Gold said:
Gophers could still run a set for a particular shooter.
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If I'm any kind of coach with any kind of talent, I will recognized the play(s) and make sure my team takes that shot away. We will have scouted the hell out of it. You might get a few, but by and large, I've seen too many teams lose because they tried to force something that the defense has dedicated their efforts to take away, instead of taking the things my defense is sacrificing as part of the game plan.
 



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