The Indiana University Hoosiers upset the University of Oregon Ducks 78-62 in the 2025 TIAA Women’s Basketball Big Ten Tournament on March 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.
Indiana (19-11), the tournament’s No. 9 seed, never trailed after a Shay Ciezki three-pointer put them up 5-3 early in the first frame. The Hoosiers’ aggressive defense forced Oregon into seven turnovers within the opening five minutes, setting the tone for a contest that saw Indiana dictate the tempo for nearly the entire 40 minutes.
“This was a big win for us,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said. “When we went out to Oregon earlier in the season, we didn’t play our best. We knew we had to win key categories today — turnovers and rebounding — and I thought we did a great job executing that.”
Four Hoosiers finished in double figures, led by Yarden Garzon’s 18 points. Ciezki added 17 on an efficient 7-for-14 shooting, including three three-pointers, while Chloe Moore-McNeil tallied up 13 points, and Sydney Parrish chipped in 10.
The Hoosiers were effective from beyond the arc, connecting on 11 of 25 three-point attempts, improving to 9-0 on the season when making at least 10 threes.
“Our defense fed into our offense,” Parrish said. “We knew they were bigger than us in some areas, so we had to bring extra energy. The plan was to throw the first punch and keep going, and I think we did just that.”
The No. 8 seed Ducks (19-11) struggled finding consistency on offense, specifically in the first period when they scored only 11 points. While they shot a reputable 40% from the field, they were 4-for-8 from three-point range. They committed 18 turnovers, leading to 20 Indiana points.
Peyton Scott led the Ducks with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Ehis Etute catalyzed a spark off the bench with 14 points. Oregon’s leading scorer, Deja Kelly, was limited to seven points.
“We just never really got into a rhythm,” Oregon head coach Kelly Graves said. “Indiana played harder than we did. Their energy and effort were better, and we let the flow of the game affect us negatively.”
Despite Indiana’s dominance, Oregon clawed back in the fourth frame, cutting the advantage to five with over six minutes remaining in regulation. However, the Hoosiers quickly responded, with Garzon and Parrish hitting clutch shots to push the lead back to double digits.
“We remembered what happened the last time we played them,” Garzon said, referencing Indiana’s 54-47 defeat to Oregon in January. “We weren’t going to let that happen again.”
Indiana closed the door at the free-throw line, making 17-of-18 attempts (94.4%) while maintaining their defensive arm-twisting until the final buzzer.
With the Ducks slain, the Hoosiers now advance to face No. 1 seed USC and star guard Juju Watkins in the quarterfinals on March 7 at noon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“We know it’s going to take our very best to beat them,” Moren said. “USC is one of the best teams in the country. We have to be disciplined, take care of the ball and hit our shots.”
Next stop: Juju Watkins.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more Big Ten and March Maddness coverage, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
