Indiana
Caitlin Clark shines in battle of All-Americans, Iowa defeats Indiana women’s basketball
No. 14 Indiana women’s basketball suffered its first loss in Big Ten play Saturday night in a blowout 84-57 loss to No. 3 Iowa. After trailing by just six at the half, the Hoosiers were unable to prevent a second-half offensive burst from the Hawkeyes led by senior guard Caitlin Clark.
Clark’s resume speaks for itself – AP Outstanding Player of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year, and the John R. Wooden Award are all pieces of her expansive list of achievements.
She’s become the face of women’s college basketball, and it’s easy to see why when she’s on the court. The Division 1 leading scorer each of the last two years, Clark is well on her way to becoming an all-time great and currently sits fourth all-time among women’s college basketball scoring leaders.
“She’s just that terrific,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said postgame. “She’s an extraordinarily talented player.”
In Saturday evening’s showdown between the Big Ten’s best, Clark put forth a 30-point, 11-assist performance to power the Hawkeyes past Indiana.
Clark started slow against the Hoosiers, going 0-for-6 from beyond the arc in the game’s opening frame. Yet, time and time again she came up big in clutch moments for the Hawkeyes.
Indiana was trailing by as few as 3 points late in the second quarter, but just as the clock winded down, Clark knocked down her signature leaning 3-pointer to give the Hawkeyes some much-needed momentum going into the half. She proceeded to score 10 points and add four assists in the third quarter, as Iowa outscored Indiana 22-11 in the frame.
“Once I slowed down and let the game come to me, I wasn’t forcing as many 3s,” Clark said postgame. “I was able to get back to my step-back.”
Indiana’s inability to contain Clark prevented the Hoosiers from keeping the game within reach and ultimately cost them the game. She was primarily guarded by senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, who, statistically speaking, was the Hoosiers’ best defender. Moore-McNeil currently leads Indiana with 1.7 steals per game and was likely the Hoosiers’ best chance at slowing down Clark. Regardless, the Hawkeye’s star was too much for Indiana to handle.
Moore-McNeil isn’t alone in struggling to contain the dynamic Clark. Clark has notched a double-double in nine of the Hawkeyes’ 18 games this season. Additionally, she averages 31 points per game on the season and has a pair of over-40 point games on the year.
Nothing is a certainty in the Big Ten, but if Indiana hopes to defend its first conference championship in four decades, then the Hoosiers’ Feb. 22 rematch with Iowa will be crucial. Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall has already sold out.
The Hoosiers (14-2, 5-1 Big Ten) now set their sights on bouncing back as they prepare to host Minnesota (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten) Wednesday evening. The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. and will be televised on Peacock.
Fernando Mendoza did not attend Indiana University’s visit to the White House commemorating the Hoosiers’ college football national championship on Monday. The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback said earlier this month that he would not attend if it interfered with any activities with his new team.
“I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here,” Mendoza said following a rookie minicamp practice. “I got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice. I don’t know anything official. I don’t have the calendar, but I just wouldn’t. As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look, and I want to try to best serve my teammates. And I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”
According to the team’s official offseason schedule, the Raiders did not have any formal practices or workouts on Monday. The team’s next organized activity is May 18, its first OTA workout.
“Fernando couldn’t be here today because, as I said, he’s now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders,” President Donald Trump said in his address. “Let’s see how good of a team they have, and I think he’s gonna do great. He’s a winner.”
Mendoza wasn’t the only absence. Center Pat Coogan and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds were among the other Hoosiers not in attendance for the event due to NFL obligations. Indiana had a program-record eight players selected in April’s NFL Draft.
Trump highlighted Mendoza’s accomplishments and contributions to the school’s first football national title. He celebrated Mendoza as Indiana’s inaugural Heisman Trophy winner and praised his fourth-quarter touchdown run in the championship game against Miami.
“He’s gonna be a good one,” Trump said.
Indiana was well-represented by returning members of the team. Charlie Becker, one of Mendoza’s go-to receivers during the College Football Playoffs, and Jamari Sharpe, whose late interception secured the title-game victory, both spoke on behalf of the school, as did head coach Curt Cignetti.
Mendoza is one of four members of the national champion Hoosiers who joined the Raiders this offseason. Running back Roman Hemby and wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr. signed as undrafted free agents in the days following the draft. Wide receiver Jonathan Brady earned a contract after impressing as a tryout player during rookie minicamp.
MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — Police are investigating a triple shooting that took place on Muncie’s south side Sunday evening that left a woman dead and two men injured.
According to police, at approximately 5:27 p.m., Muncie Police Officers were dispatched to the 2700 block of South Walnut Street in reference to reports of several people being shot.
Officers arrived and located three gunshot victims: A 23-year-old female who died from “multiple wounds,” a 39-year-old male who is hospitalized in stable condition, and a 40-year-old male who was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital in critical condition.
Police say a suspect is in custody, a 21-year-old man.
Police did not provide any additional information.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Muncie Police Detective Division at 765-747-4867 or dispatch at 765-747-4838.
Candace Parker, Cynthia Cooper share thoughts on Knicks playoff run
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Sports Seriously
The Indiana Pacers lost 63 games this season for a chance at a franchise-changing lottery pick. On Sunday, May 10, they lost that chance, too.
All Pacers president Kevin Pritchard could do was apologize for taking the risk.
Indiana’s pick landed at No. 5 in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, one spot outside the top four protections attached to a midseason trade. The selection now belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers .
Shortly after the results were announced, Pritchard took social media and apologized.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” Pritchard wrote. “I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck.”
The Pacers entered the lottery with a 52.1% chance of securing a top-four pick after finishing 19-63, the second-worst record in the NBA. It wasn’t enough.
Indiana sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick to Los Angeles in the midseason deal for Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown, along with the conditional 2026 first-rounder. The pick was theirs to keep only if it landed in the top four.
Zubac appeared in just five games for Indiana after the trade because of a fractured rib.
“This team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year,” Pritchard wrote. “We have always been resillient.”
Pritchard will have to be resilient if he looks at the replies to his statement. About half of the Pacers fans’ comments were not happy, and fans of other teams called him out for “tanking.”
There were also a large number of fans who were supportive of Pritchard taking that risk.
Tyrese Haliburton is expected to return next season after tearing his Achilles in last year’s NBA Finals. The Pacers will have him Pascal Siakam and a roster they think is built to compete. They just won’t have that first-round pick to add to it.
The 2026 NBA Draft begins June 23 in Brooklyn.
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