Some Important Women's Basketball Updates On Injuries, NCAA Selection, And Tickets if IU Hosts In Bloomington

IU Coach Teri Moren And The Program Provided Several Big Items Of Note During Wednesday's Media Availability ahead of Friday's 9 pm Big Ten Tourney Opener On BTN

Senior Day Speech On The Video Board From Mackenzie Holmes At Assembly Hall After IU’s 71-54 Win Against Maryland On Sunday

Some noteworthy information was given between my correspondence with IU and Teri Moren’s chat with the press on Wednesday morning. Here is what was found out:

1. All-American center Mackenzie Holmes has a kneecap that wants to shift in and out of place. This is the first time Indiana has given more detailed information on what is wrong with her left lower limb. She has worn a brace on it for the last couple of seasons. It is unclear if this was the original injury that kept her out of a large portion of Big Ten Play in 2022. However, it sounds like this is the issue that has ailed her at least recently, if not the past couple of seasons.

2. Lily Meister had “quite a sprained ankle” per Moren.

3. Neither Holmes nor Meister have practiced this week and won’t today and remain day-to-day as they rehab.

4. The Hoosiers will use what is essentially a five-guard lineup with normal wing player Yarden Garzon at center if neither Holmes or Meister are available. A likely matchup with a guard-heavy Michigan squad (bracket: https://bigten.org/news/2024/3/3/2024-tiaa-big-ten-womens-basketball-tournament-bracket-announced.aspx), may not hinder IU as much if they had to go with this lineup. However, the plan against another near-certain showdown with Iowa on Saturday could be hindered somewhat, as the team would not have a clear answer for starting big Hannah Stuelke.

5. The Hoosiers if healthy, are at a point where a win Friday would likely be sufficient to host as a top-16 squad regardless of the result against the Hawkeyes assuming full health. However, there is a procedure if Indiana were to get into a scenario where Holmes and Meister were not available this weekend, but healthy by the NCAA Tournament so as to not be penalized in seeding. According to Moren and an IU spokesperson, there is a person in the Big Ten who communicates on IU’s behalf weekly any issues with injuries, travel, or anything else they want to report to the NCAA that could affect them. In other words, it sounds like the Hoosiers can make it clear to the committee if everyone is healthy by then so they don’t lose a host spot or seeding over injuries if they are later healed.

6. Ticket requests for GA (Balcony) remain available if IU is selected for March Madness in Bloomington here: https://iuhoosiers.evenue.net/events/WBNC.

   However, per the Indiana spokesperson “The priority deadline was March 1^st. So that is why it is just GA online. If people call, we will add a reserved request (for the main level) to their account, but they will not be allocated based on points.”

7. Student tickets are also available for people attending any university for $20. Per IU ‘Anyone with a student account can get the $20 tickets (which would primarily be IU students), but we will sell students tickets to anyone with a valid student ID, they would just need to call.”