INDIANAPOLIS — With 2:45 remaining in the first half, the whistle rang through Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Karoline Striplin’s third foul of the game. Her counterpart, Lilly Meister, had already logged her third of the day, and the possibility that both would foul out before the game’s end loomed large for the Hoosiers.
As Indiana head coach Teri Moren vibrantly expressed her frustrations to the referees, associate head coach Rhet Wierzba made his way to freshman Faith Wiseman on the bench to let her know her number might be called. It was too risky to keep Striplin and Meister going tandem, given how early the two were in foul trouble. The Hoosiers led comfortably by 12 points and needed to reach halftime to regroup.
Wiseman, who had yet to play a single minute in the first half all season, saw action in the second, third, and fourth quarters to help relieve Indiana of its foul issues. Wiseman took two charges, recorded two assists, and grabbed a steal in her 10 minutes on the floor, helping Indiana hang on to beat Oregon 78-62 Thursday afternoon.
“Sometimes when kids don’t get the time, it’s easy for them to choose not to come in that gym every day and try to keep getting better,” Moren said. “And Faith has not been that kid, and we’ve had a lot of them come through our program, but really proud of just how she, like I said, just helped us hang on there.”
This was the contrast the Hoosiers had been seeking since their last matchup with the Ducks. Just over a month ago, on Jan. 24, the Hoosiers let foul trouble get the best of them in a 54-47 loss in Eugene. Striplin, the Hoosiers’ rhythm in that game, sat out a lengthy portion of the third quarter due to fouls, and Indiana never recovered.
The turning point in both games looked nearly identical in execution but ended differently.
Sydney Parrish, the Oregon transfer, drilled a 3-pointer near the five-minute mark of the third quarter to give Indiana a 10-point lead. On Thursday, she extended that lead to 13. In January, the Ducks followed the Parrish 3 with a 10-0 run. This time around, Lexus Bargesser came off the bench to help fend off Oregon.
Bargesser contributed nine points and four key rebounds in the Hoosiers’ win, not allowing Oregon to get any closer than five.
“That was what we kept saying when we got in the middle of huddles. We’re like, ‘We need to keep running on them. Don’t let them get back in it,’” Parrish said.
No Hoosier fouled out in Thursday’s win, thanks to help from the bench. Starters Yarden Garzon and Shay Ciezki, each with three fouls, were able to finish the game in double figures, alongside Parrish and Chloe Moore-McNeil.
Indiana now faces a tough challenge against No. 2 USC and star Juju Watkins in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals on Friday at noon. The Hoosiers last faced the Trojans in Assembly Hall, losing 73-66.
Wiseman, Bargesser, and the rest of Indiana’s bench played a crucial role in keeping the Hoosiers steady on their path to victory. This version of the squad will need to stay present not only in Big Ten tournament play but also as Indiana prepares for its first NCAA tournament game in the coming weeks.
