Sydney Parrish is a skilled shooter, as everyone is aware. It’s equivalent to knowing that Mackenzie Holmes is an All-American or that Teri Moren is the most successful coach in Indiana women’s basketball history. It is true.
But basketball is a volatile sport, and success isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Games are lost when shots are missed. However, Indiana is currently not experiencing any of those things, and Parrish is primarily to blame for that.
It was difficult to see how she could improve on her performance in Indiana’s 80-59 victory over Michigan just a few days earlier going into Sunday’s game against Nebraska. The kind of energy that’s difficult to duplicate is provided by going 3-for-3 from outside the arc in the first quarter and scoring 14 points in the first twenty-five minutes of play.
But Parrish didn’t just duplicate that enthusiasm in the Hoosiers’ convincing 91-69 victory over the Cornhuskers; she more than doubled it.
She literally quadrupled her makes from beyond the arc with six, setting a new career record for the local Hoosier in an Indiana uniform. In a metaphorical way, Parrish’s incredible shooting enabled the Hoosiers to perform at a level that fans had been anticipating all season.
Because Parrish’s teammates joined in on the fun following her flawless first quarter in which she scored 12 of Indiana’s 20 points and drained four 3-pointers. They shot 61 percent from the floor and beyond the arc as a team and didn’t let up less than 22 points in any of the subsequent quarters.
This basketball squad has excellent shooters, and we have a great deal of faith in each and every one of them, Teri Moren remarked. “They’re all competent shooters in my opinion, but as a team, I believe that if you see one of them make a shot, it may spread to the rest of the group because they’re so close and supportive of one another.
Indiana went on to make 14 3-pointers, tying a season-high, and broke a program record for the most 3-pointers made in a road game thanks to Parrish’s contagious 3-point shooting.
Parrish was one of four Hoosiers to score in double figures at the end of the game with a season-high 20 points. The other three were Mackenzie Holmes, Sara Scalia, and Chloe Moore-McNeil—the typical suspects in Indiana. The quartet showed off all of the Hoosiers’ skills, including their ability to find open shooters, make fast shots, compete for rebounds, and perform well in challenging road conditions like the one at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
“When traveling, you have to pack a different kind of toughness in your suitcase,” Moren remarked. “I thought we looked tough from the tip and really together today.”
The type of game that occurred on Sunday demonstrated Indiana’s potential when everything is clicking on all cylinders. Holmes recorded her tenth game of the season with at least 20 points when she scored 22 points. Scalia grabbed six rebounds, scored 19 points with five 3-pointers, and led the Hoosiers in assists with seven, her highest total while wearing an Indiana uniform. Moore-McNeil, Indiana’s primary ball handler, continued to play with the tenacity Indiana needs as he scored 16 points.
Regarding Moore-McNeil, Holmes remarked, “She’s done a really good job of being more aggressive and kind of hunting her shot.” She also had an excellent night on both sides of the ball. For us, she’s just incredibly reliable and consistent.
There is no denying the Hoosiers’ talent. But occasionally, anything needs a little prodding to really take off, and lately, Parrish has made a big difference in that area. She never misses an opportunity to score a basket or encourage her teammates from the sidelines. She is a constant presence in the game and makes sure everyone around her does too. She is the type of gregarious, vivacious individual that a team like Indiana needs to balance the stress of competing in the Big Ten.
To an outsider, the Hoosiers’ unity would appear to be evidence that they are the best in the business. It seems logical to assume that a team at its best would be one that can outscore top conference opponents by double digits and has a roster full of players who can excel in any situation.
However, if Moren and her group have anything to say about it, then it won’t be.
Moren remarked, “I don’t know if we’ve hit our stride, I hope not.” “There’s always room for improvement in some area.”
Being among the best teams in the nation, the Hoosiers are aware that their rivals will try to take advantage of any holes in their defense. Even while Indiana isn’t flawless, its opponents will find it tough to undermine the kind of influence a player and person like Parrish has on her team.
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