Breaking News:Omg this is not happening the Hoosier just got hit with sad and terrifying news
No. 4-seed Indiana women’s basketball begins its quest for NCAA Tournament glory this afternoon as it takes on No. 13-seed Fairfield in the Round of 64 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers are heavily favored by 25.5 points entering today’s matchup, but the Stags cannot be taken lightly.
Anchored by a 31-1 overall record and a MAAC championship, Fairfield is one of the nation’s hottest teams entering March Madness. Fortunately for Indiana, it should have all hands on deck as All-American forward Mackenzie Holmes, starting senior guard Sydney Parrish and backup sophomore forward Lilly Meister are all expected to be play following injury stints this season.
Indiana is the host team for the first two rounds thanks to its top-four seeding. Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall will feature the first and second round matchups in the Bloomington pod, which includes IU, Fairfield, No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast.
Follow along in the thread below for live notes, commentary and observations as the Hoosiers and Stags open the NCAA Tournament.
The college basketball transfer portal officially opened Monday, and Indiana has had no shortage of roster activity since then.
On Tuesday afternoon, three IU players officially entered the portal: sophomore guard CJ Gunn, sophomore forward Kaleb Banks and junior center Payton Sparks. On Thursday afternoon, IU received its first positive offseason news as sophomore forward and second-leading scorer Malik Reneau announced his return to the Hoosiers next season.
Mike Woodson and his staff have been preparing for transfer portal mania for several months, which means they should have a Game-changing wide receivers can alter momentum in an instant, whether it’s catching a pass over the middle and making a man miss or delivering a chain-moving reception to aid a scoring drive. And now, with an emphasis on tempo and expanded targets, we’re seeing an increase in production on the outside amongst the nation’s best. Based on career production, importance to team and where these players might be at season’s end, ranking the top 25 entering 2024 is not an easy task.
A couple true freshmen to keep an eye are Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 player overall in the 2024 recruiting cycle, and Alabama’s Ryan Williams. This pair didn’t make the ranking without college experience, but could very well be top 15 material by year’s end.