Garzon scores 17, Ciezki adds 16 to lead No. 9 seed Indiana to opening NCAA win over No. 8 seed Utah
Garzon scores 17, Ciezki adds 16 to lead No. 9 seed Indiana to opening NCAA win over No. 8 seed Utah
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Yarden Garzon scored 17 points and Shay Ciezki added 16 as No. 9 seed Indiana won its opener for a sixth straight NCAA Tournament with a 76-68 victory over eighth-seeded Utah on Friday.
The Hoosiers (20-12) reached 20 wins and their reward is a likely matchup with the Birmingham 2 Regional’s top seed in South Carolina, who will play later Friday against No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech.
“We’re familiar with South Carolina,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said.
The Hoosiers lost to the Gamecocks in last year’s Sweet 16. Indiana was also the only team to beat coach Dawn Staley’s program during the 2019-20 season when COVID-19 canceled the tournament.
Moren and her Hoosiers had been among the top 16 tournament hosts the last four years and acknowledged this week she didn’t like packing her bags to travel for NCAA play. But the road challenges gave players a sense of urgency about what they hoped to accomplish.
“We understand if we don’t come in and play well, this could be the last game,” she said.
Ciezki had 11 of her 16 points in the final two quarters as Indiana used a 15-4 run in the third period to take control. The Utes (22-9) got within 72-68 on Gianna Kneepkens’ 3-pointer with 1:05 left, but could get no closer.
Ciezki said her team’s late second-quarter run to go from 31-26 down to a tie was essential for them gaining a foothold on the Utes.
“We got together in the huddle and said we need to bring it back,” Ciezki said. “We need to tie this game going into halftime so we have momentum to come out. And that’s what we did.”
Kneepkens led Utah with 24 points, including a four-point play in the fourth quarter.
Takeaways
Indiana: The Hoosiers had been hosts the previous four times they made the NCAAs. They showed a different venue wouldn’t change their focus.
Utah: The Utes went cold at the wrong time, missing all six shots and committing two turnovers during a third quarter stretch where they went from up 35-33 to trailing by nine.
Holding together
Utah coach Gavin Petersen said he was proud of his team for holding things together after the surprise of coach Lynne Roberts leaving to coach the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks just four games into the season. He said it could’ve been easy for his players to splinter or sulk. None of that happened on the way to an NCAA Tournament berth.
Petersen expects this to springboard into next season.
“We now have to live up to the new standard that we set,” he said.
Key moment
Garzon hit the tying basket early in the third quarter and Ciezki followed with a 3 that put Indiana ahead for good in starting a 15-4 run.
Kneepkens’ moment
Kneepkens, Utah’s leading scorer, was in tears after being asked about her final time playing for the Utes. She got a follow up about her four-point play, something not very common in NCAA play.
“I guess that’s kind of positive,” Kneepkens said. “I wish it could’ve gotten us going.”
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By PETE IACOBELLI
Associated Press
