Indiana women’s basketball undervalued and overlooked in ESPN’s ‘way-too-early’ top-25 rankings

The Indiana women’s basketball program is heading into a new era next season. While it has a good core of returning players, and Teri Moren still at the helm, it will be without the program’s all-time scoring leader and winningest player in Mackenzie Holmes. So, it will be an adjustment next year.

After being atop the Big Ten over the last three seasons, and with an Elite Eight appearance and two other Sweet Sixteen showings in the past four years, Indiana has cemented itself as a real national brand.

But, Indiana women’s basketball seems to be getting overlooked ahead of next year in ESPN’s ‘way-too-early’ rankings. Released on Monday, ESPN staff writer Charlie Creme left the Hoosiers out of his preseason top-25. He also did not have them listed in ‘other teams considered’.

Four Big Ten teams were listed in the top 25 while two other programs were considered.

Despite not having Holmes back, and losing All-Big Ten selection Sara Scalia, Indiana still brings back a lot of experience. Among the returnees are point guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, wing Sydney Parrish and hybrid forward Yarden Garzon. All three were starters last season.

In addition, Lexus Bargesser who started nine games while Parrish was injured this year, and Lily Meister return as well.

That makes up for 51.2 percent of the team’s total points from last year, 55.1 percent of total rebounds and 71.4 percent of the assists. So, while the missing pieces of Holmes and Scalia loom large, Indiana has the core back it needs.

“I’m always optimistic. That’s just how I’ve been raised,” Moren said about her team following the Sweet Sixteen loss to South Carolina. “Those guys that are coming back (next year), this is a great experience for them. It needs to sting. It needs to hurt a little bit. I want our kids — as I said to them, to walk out with their heads held high. But I want it to bother Beau (Lenée Beaumont). I want it to bother Jewels (Julianna LaMendola). I want it to bother Chloe (Moore-McNeil), I want it to bother Lily (Meister), all those kids, Lexy (Bargesser). I want it to bother them, and I know it does.”

In addition to the retuning pieces, Indiana added two keys through the transfer portal this spring. That includes Tennessee forward Karoline Striplin and Penn State guard Shay Ciezki.

While neither play will replace the production and holes left by Holmes and Scalia, they both fit the position of need and skillset that the Hoosiers were left to fill. Ciezki is a terrific shooter who averaged 11.5 points and shot 36.8 percent from three. The 5-foot-7 guard made 74 3s last season. For reference, Scalia made 156 3s in her two seasons with Indiana women’s basketball. Ciezki has made 138 3s over the last two years.

Striplin averaged 7.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 14.4 minutes last season for the Lady Vols. Her productivity stands out with her per-40 minute averages last year at 19.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

Indiana has had nine consecutive 20+ win seasons and made the NCAA Tournament in six of Teri Moren’s 10 seasons with the program.

During the nine seasons of 20+ wins, Moren has had Indiana women’s basketball averaging 23.4 wins per season.

It’s a reflection of her system and that will likely be no different in 2024-25.

“Well, the way that we can honor Mackenzie (Holmes), the way we can honor Grace (Berger), the way we can honor the Ali Patbergs who have been in our program is doing what they do, and they show up and they do more than what’s required, and that’s part of the recipe for us,” Moren said. “We’re not a team that will come in and look forward to a two-hour practice. I’m going to have kids in there before practice. I’m going to have kids that are going to stay after. I have to adjust my meeting times usually with my staff because they are scheduled on the half hour, on the 40-minute with those kids that are coming in doing extra. That’s what it requires, not just the two hours. What are they doing outside of practice time.

“That’s what Grace Berger — every day, every day, Mackenzie Holmes, every day. It’s cool when you bring in kids and you say you’re an outlier if you’re not going to do this every day, and we’re not for everybody, but if you’re willing and you want to get better, this is a place you probably want to think about because our staff, we’re going to be in the trenches, we’re going to roll up our sleeves, we’re going to help you develop and get better in your time here at Indiana.

“I think we can talk about Grace Berger, the career she’s had, the career Mack (Mackenzie) had and so forth. We’ve got great evidence that the way we’re doing things is working for us.”