Holmes, Berger lift No. 14 Indiana over No. 11 Terps 62-51

Posted March 04, 2022 6:00 am

The Associated Press

Indiana guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) passes around as Maryland guard Katie Benzan (11) defends during an NCAA college basketball game in the Big Ten conference tournament, Friday, March 4, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star via AP) The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Mackenzie Holmes scored 17 points in her best game since being injured, Grace Berger had a double-double and 14th-ranked Indiana turned back No. 11 Maryland 62-51 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament on Friday.

Holmes, in her sixth game back after missing four weeks with a knee injury, was 7-of-10 shooting and led the fifth-seeded Hoosiers in scoring for the first time since Christmas.

Indiana (21-7) meets top-seeded and 13th-ranked Ohio State in the semifinals on Saturday.

Since fourth-seeded Maryland (21-8) joined the Big Ten in the 2014-15 season, the Terrapins had never been seeded below No. 2 or failed to make the championship game. They are now 19-3 in tournament games.

Berger scored 16 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and was 6 of 8 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. Indiana shot 40% and made 16 of 20 free throws to overcome 18 turnovers.

Ashley Owusu scored 21 points, coming off the bench for Maryland as she recovers from an ankle injury. Angel Reese had 14 points and 13 rebounds but the Terrapins shot just 31%, including 0 of 12 from 3-point range in Maryland's lowest scoring game in tournament history and second-lowest game of the season, 28 below its season average

The teams split in the regular season with Maryland winning the regular-season finale 67-64 and Indiana winning 70-63 in OT on Jan. 2.

Indiana led 18-13 after one quarter and 34-25 at the half as Holmes had 10 points.

Maryland got within 41-39 on an Owusu fast-break layup but Holmes answered with a three-point play. A turnover led to a Berger layup at the buzzer and the Hoosiers took a 47-41 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Terrapins were 4 of 19 in the fourth quarter.

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More AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Maryland guard Diamond Miller (1) blocks a shot by Indiana guard Grace Berger (34) during an NCAA college basketball game in the Big Ten conference tournament, Friday, March 4, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star via AP) The Associated Press

Indiana guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) collides with Maryland forward Angel Reese (10) during an NCAA college basketball game in the Big Ten conference tournament, Friday, March 4, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star via AP) The Associated Press

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