Indiana senior guard Shay Ciezki wore a soft smirk on her face as the National Anthem sounded in Assembly Hall. She was moments away from playing her final home game in an Indiana uniform against her former team, Penn State University.
“As I was praying, I kind of just felt a little bit of how funny God is sometimes,” Ciezki said after the game. “I started my career at Penn State when I was a freshman, and now I’m kind of so-called ending my career playing against them in Assembly Hall.”
She finished with 29 points on 12-18 shooting as the Hoosiers defeated the Nittany Lions 93-59. It was Ciezki’s 19th game scoring 20 or more points.
Indiana entered the day one win away from clinching its spot in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday, March 4. Right out of the gate, the determination from the Hoosiers was on display, as they jumped out to a 57-23 lead at the half with four different players scoring in double-digits in the first 20 minutes.
Nevaeh Caffey was one of those in double-figures, as she reached a new career high in points with 18. The freshman guard shot 6-12 from the field, while also grabbing three rebounds and tying her career high in assists with five.
“I think, honestly, just shooting those open shots if they play off me and attacking downhill,” Caffey said after the game. “Then my teammates trusting that I can shoot the ball, and Shay yelling ‘shoot the ball’ anytime we move it.”
It’s the sixth time in the last seven games that Caffey has scored 10 or more points. Over that seven-game span, she’s averaging 11.7 points per game and shooting 50% from the field.
Caffey wasn’t the only freshman to shine for Indiana, as classmate Maya Makalusky scored 15 points on 5-10 shooting, while collecting five rebounds. It’s the fifth straight game Makalusky has been in double figures, averaging 17.2 points per game and 5.2 rebounds.
“They’re playing better together, and they’re starting to figure out some things,” head coach Teri Moren said after the game. “Having others step up has given Shay a little bit of relief.”
After entering the month of February 0-10, Indiana is playing its best basketball of the entire season, winning six of its last eight games. The lone two losses came on the road to the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles, without Ciezki.
“You learn lessons, or you quit,” Moren said. “And this group was not going to quit.”
Now, after going 6-2 to wrap up the regular season, the Hoosiers are slated to take on the University of Nebraska on Wednesday at 3:30 pm in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament. The Cornhuskers knocked the Hoosiers off in Lincoln, Nebraska, back on Jan. 8, 78-73, despite a 31-point performance from Shay Ciezki. The game will be played in Gainbridge Fieldhouse and will be broadcast on Peacock.
