What doomed Tennessee Tech women's basketball against Indiana in the NCAA Tournament

Mike Organ, Nashville Tennessean

March 18, 2023 at 5:13 PM·3 min read

Indiana's Lilly Meister (52) blocks Tennessee Tech's Reghan Grimes (33) during the first round of the NCAA women's tournament at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

With its leading scorer Mackenzie Holmes on the bench, Indiana relied on its stifling defense to knock the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team out of the NCAA Tournament with a 77-47 win Saturday in front of a crowd of 14,000 at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

With Holmes, who averages 22.3 points per game, dealing with a sore knee, the No. 1-seeded Hoosiers shut down No. 16 seed Tech by coming up with a season-high 11 blocked shots and holding the Golden Eagles to 27.7% (18-of-65) shooting from the field. Indiana also had seven steals.

Tech (23-19) was able to carry the momentum it gained after picking up its first NCAA Tournament win in 30 years by beating Monmouth on Thursday 79-69 through the first quarter. The Golden Eagles made four of their first five 3-pointers and had Indiana (28-3) tied at 18 at the end of the quarter.

Indiana's Grace Berger (34) battles with Tennessee Tech's Jada Guinn (24) and Peyton Carter (22) for a ball during the first round of the NCAA women's tournament at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Iu Tt Wbb 1h Berger 1 — Indiana's Grace Berger (34) battles with Tennessee Tech's Jada Guinn (24) and Peyton Carter (22) for a ball during the first round of the NCAA women's tournament at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Iu Tt Wbb 1h Berger 1

But Indiana's swarming defense, ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten, took its toll early in the second quarter, which helped the Hoosiers go on a 17-3 run, take a 39-25 lead and coast the rest of the way.

“I am unbelievably proud of our student-athletes and what they have been able to accomplish this season,” Tech coach Kim Rosamond said. "We have been so close over the last five years and we just kept hitting our head on the glass ceiling. These two young women sitting with me (Maaliya Owns and Jada Guinn) and the group of young women in that locker room busted through that ceiling. We don't plan on going back.”

The loss snapped Tech's win streak at eight games. It was the Golden Eagles' most lopsided loss since falling at Middle Tennessee State 83-45 on Dec. 1.