Despite Double-Double From Penn, No. 15 Indiana Falls To Tennessee

Thursday, December 17

Bloomington, Ind.

4 PM ET

Indiana University

2-2,0-0Big Ten

Tennessee

4-1,0-0SEC

Tennessee

Indiana

Despite Double-Double From Penn, No. 15 Indiana Falls To Tennessee

12/17/2020 6:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score PDF Box Score Photo Gallery Coach Moren Postgame Penn Postgame Photo Gallery

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – In its final non-conference test of the season, No. 15 Indiana couldn't overcome a slow start as it fell to Tennessee, 66-58, on Thursday afternoon in the non-conference finale at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

KEY MOMENTS

Senior guard Ali Patberg knocked in the first bucket of the contest, but it was all Tennessee (4-1) in the first quarter as it got out to an early lead and made 17-9 by the quarter break. Junior forward Aleksa Gulbe accounted for five of Indiana's nine points while Patberg scored the other four.
There was a spark in the Indiana (2-2) offense to open the second quarter of play as junior guard Grace Berger hit a pull-up jumper off of a turnover to cut into opponent lead. Patberg capitalized on a defensive rebound and broke away for another Hoosiers basket to make the cut the lead to four, 17-13. After exchanging baskets for the rest of the frame, the Volunteers ball would come alive and get a 34-24 edge over Indiana heading into halftime.
Out of the halftime break, sophomore guard Mackenzie Holmes and senior guard Jaelynn Penn both sunk a pair at the free-throw line. With Tennessee up 45-29 at the 7:50 minute mark, shots made by Berger, Gulbe, Patberg, and Penn helped diminish the deficit approaching the media timeout. In the closing two minutes, Berger forced an and-1 to make it a 51-42 game. Patberg and Penn banked back-to-back jumpers, cutting it to a six-point Tennessee advantage as the Hoosiers held the Volunteers scoreless in the 5:34 of the frame.
It was a fight to the finish in the final 10 minutes of action as Penn opened with first four points of the frame for Indiana. Back out to a four-point lead, Holmes hit a layup and Patberg made a free throw to force a Lady Vol timeout with 6:55 to play.
Making it just a one-point game after the final media timeout, Tennessee would hold IU to just four points in the final 6:32 of play.

NOTABLE

Indiana had three players score in double figures led by Ali Patberg with 16 points. Patberg has scored in double figures in 18 of her last 19 games.
Jaelynn Penn (14) and Aleksa Gulbe (10) also scored in double digits for Indiana.
Penn notched her second career double-double with the 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Grace Berger added nine points, six rebound and three assists for the Hoosiers.
Tennessee went up 45-29 with 7:50 to go in the third quarter. The Hoosiers held Tennessee without a field goal for the next 5:34 of game action.
Indiana used a 17-7 run down 16 at 45-29 to narrow the gap to six at 52-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Hoosiers outscored Tennessee 20-10 in fast break points.

QUOTABLE
Indiana head coach Teri Moren
"Well, we are really disappointed. I want to start by saying that we just missed too many layups and 2-for-27 from outside the arc. One, that is probably too many threes that we should be taking especially on a night when they are not going down. So, that is frustrating. Layups were sort of the same story to the rim. We had a couple of kids that where it just wasn't their night. I don't want to make excuses. We looked like a team who has had eleven days off and we had no rhythm, no real pace to the game. I thought we looked like we were sort of in cement from the jump. I am proud of the kids the way they battled back. We could have tied it up there with a layup by Mack (Mackenzie Holmes), but she was one of those ladies that I was referring to who just had a tough night. We are obviously very, very disappointed in the outcome and disappointed in our play. We are really frustrated going down the stretch there with myself and with our coaching staff. I thought we just didn't help our kids defensively by putting them in the right positions, and Tennessee made us pay. Congratulations to Tennessee. For them to come in here and get a huge road win, I think she would say that. She didn't even have her entire team tonight. So, we have to figure out how we can get much better by Sunday. I will say this, I am excited about going into Big Ten play, feeling like and knowing that God willing that we can get rhythm to the season. We play Sunday and we turn around and play again quickly. Because obviously with 11 days off for this group just with practice did not build well with us tonight."

UP NEXT
Indiana will stay at home when it opens Big Ten play on Sunday, December 20 at 4 p.m. ET when it hosts Nebraska. The game will be live on Big Ten Network.

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