Indiana
Indiana women’s basketball leaning on experience and perspective in navigating NCAA Tournament
Upon first glance, Indiana women’s basketball received a tough NCAA Tournament draw.
The Hoosiers (24-5) earned their No. 4 seed, giving them home-court advantage in the first two rounds. But they’re up against a No. 13 seed in Fairfield (31-1) that hasn’t lost since mid-November and may feel it deserved a higher seed.
If IU defeats the Stags, it may face No. 5 seed Oklahoma (22-9) — the Big 12 regular season outright champions, which swept No. 1 seed Texas and played a more challenging non-conference schedule than the Hoosiers.
Should Indiana get through to the Sweet 16, it would set up — in all likelihood — a matchup with No. 1 overall seed South Carolina (33-0).
One of the bigger storylines of IU’s year was letdown performances in several big games. That wasn’t the case in every big game on the schedule, but it happened enough to be one of the themes from this regular season. And IU head coach Teri Moren never shied away from that. But the Hoosiers showed resilience coming out of those rough outings, and that veteran mentality gives her confidence that they can navigate a seemingly difficult bracket.
“This is a team that’s competitive, it’s a team that’s connected, it’s a team that’s mature, experienced,” Moren said during a Zoom media availability Sunday night. “Anytime you get into this tournament, it’s going to be hard. There’s going to be challenges, no matter who you play, whether first round, second round, and so forth. And so I think we’re prepared.”
Indiana enters this March Madness in a different fashion than its last several NCAA Tournament teams did.
The 2021 season and tournament were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, so IU’s No. 4 seed didn’t result in hosting the first two rounds like it normally would’ve. But it was still the program’s highest-ever seed at the time, and it reached its first-ever Elite Eight.
Indiana wanted to back up that run in 2022 and host for the first time in program history. The team’s No. 3 seed saw the latter vision come to fruition. IU had higher ambitions than its Sweet 16 ending, but it won a memorable second-round game in Bloomington and still represented itself well as a program.
Last season, in 2023, the Hoosiers earned their first-ever No. 1 seed, and carried legitimate Final Four and national championship aspirations into the postseason. Miami (Fla.) promptly ended that magical ride in the second round.
This is Moren’s sixth NCAA Tournament team at Indiana, and her fifth straight year in the bracket. And it’s the first of those six groups whose postseason experience isn’t novel.
There’s no “first-ever” for these Hoosiers. They’ve been here before. They’ve felt the pressure of high expectations. They’ve witnessed March Madness environments at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. They’ve been a No. 4 seed, and made a deep run from that position. And they’ve felt the painful sting of being on the wrong end of an upset.
Those experiences have given these players more perspective than they’ve ever had going into an NCAA Tournament. Indiana knows what it takes to go far, and knows how quickly those dreams can come crashing down.
And between those memories from previous years and going through some of this season’s lower points, Moren has tried to make sure her team learns from it all.
“It’s one thing to come up short, to fail, and some of those (letdown games this season) have been super disappointing,” Moren said. But there’s always a lesson inside of all those. You learn lessons throughout.”
Hoosiers recharging, Holmes feeling better
The Hoosiers got a needed boost from the last nine days after their loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament.
During IU’s regular-season finale against Maryland, Mackenzie Holmes re-injured her left knee that’s given her problems the last three seasons. She sat on the bench for most of the loss to the Wolverines in Minneapolis, and Moren didn’t want to use the fifth-year if she could avoid it. But Holmes still played during the fourth quarter out of desperation to save the game.
But the time off allowed her to rest her knee, and she said Sunday that she’s feeling a lot better.
“I think this past week I’ve been able to get some much needed rest for my knee and I’ve been able to get back out on the floor, I’ve been practicing,” Holmes said. “So each day I think I’m feeling more and more confident on it, feeling better on it, so this week has been great for that, the aspect of the recovery of my knee.”
The All-American added she’s doing “pretty much everything” in practices, and is feeling much better entering this year’s NCAA Tournament than she did last year. Holmes sat out of Indiana’s first-round win over Tennessee Tech last season after injuring her knee during the Big Ten Tournament, and she said Sunday that she didn’t practice much after that point.
Moren and her staff were conscious of how much time the players spent on the court later in the season and ramped it down a bit to keep everyone healthy and energized. She acknowledged the difficulty of balancing that against necessary practice time to improve and maintain a competitive edge throughout the team, but doesn’t think it’s impossible to achieve both goals.
Holmes wasn’t the only one who benefitted from rest over the last week. Lilly Meister also got hurt against Maryland, though she played through it in a larger capacity than Holmes did against Michigan. Sydney Parrish played in only five games — four in her usual role and workload — after returning from a seven-game absence with a foot injury. IU had other players dealing with nagging injuries as well. Moren said the entire team was able to recharge last week.
“This was a great week for us to rest a lot, although we did practice. But we really shortened it. But it’s been a good week,” Moren said. “Yesterday was the first day we had everybody on the floor, so it was quite nice to see. But now, it’s go time for us. So we’re going to take tomorrow off, get acclimated with Fairfield, and when the guys get back here on Tuesday, we’ll be ready to go.”
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Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is speaking out on rising roster costs. Cignetti says players should get paid, but universities can’t handle it.
Josh Hoover is replacing a guy who won the Heisman Trophy while leading Indiana football to a national championship. No pressure there, right?
Being the guy who replaces the guy brings Hoover the distinction as the top college football transfer entering the 2026 season, according to Billy Tucker of ESPN.
The Hoosiers have four players on this 100-player list, three of them in the top 20.
According to the story: “Each player is ranked based on a team’s need and what physical skill set they bring to their new team.”
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Need: “With Fernando Mendoza off to the NFL and backup Alberto Mendoza having transferred to Georgia Tech, the Hoosiers needed another experienced passer capable of sustaining College Football Playoff expectations in Bloomington. Indiana has become one of the portal’s premier destinations for quarterbacks, and Hoover, who transferred from TCU, is next in line after Kurtis Rourke and national champion and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.”
Value: “Hoover gives (coach) Curt Cignetti extensive experience, skill and production after throwing for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns at TCU. He is a confident gunslinger who thrives pushing the ball vertically and operating within RPO concepts. His swagger and aggressiveness should unlock explosive plays through the air, albeit with some volatility. Hoover has 42 career turnovers and only one season without double-digit interceptions.”
No. 11: Nick Marsh, Indiana wide receiver
Need: “Marsh is a proven No. 1 receiver as the Hoosiers transition to a new era at the position after Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt moved on to the NFL. They couldn’t afford to wait on a younger, more projectable receiver. Marsh instead is a ready-made top target and established focal point. He should be the clear primary receiving option.”
Value: “A former ESPN 300 recruit, Marsh led Michigan State in receiving in back-to-back seasons, totaling 100 catches for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns. At 6-3, 203 pounds, he brings Big Ten-ready size paired with vertical speed, allowing him to win downfield and on contested 50-50 opportunities. He is effective as a deep threat and as a physical receiver who can work through contact. Cignetti saw Marsh’s ability up close. He had 12 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns across two games against Indiana, reinforcing his ability to elevate the passing attack immediately.”
No. 18: Tobi Osunsanmi, Indiana edge rusher
Need: “Adding Osunsanmi, a Kansas State transfer, will help Indiana reload for its national title defense. The Hoosiers lost Mikail Kamara, Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt, creating a clear need along the defensive front. Osunsanmi is an ideal plug-and-play addition. The versatile pass rusher should translate fluidly to defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ scheme.”
Value: “Osunsanmi suffered a season-ending injury that forced him to miss the second half of last season, but he flashed during the spring, creating havoc up front. He brings a strong combination of speed and power to pressure offensive tackles. His power allows him to play stout at the point of attack, set the edge or walk blockers back into the backfield to collapse the pocket. He also has the quickness and agility to win on loops and stunts, along with a motor that shows up in pursuit outside the box.”
Need: “The Hoosiers lost their two leading rushers from last season’s championship team with running backs Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black, who combined for 2,160 yards, off to the NFL. Though they return two other productive backs in Khobie Martin and Lee Beebe Jr., they also added production in the transfer portal with Richard, a Boston College back with a scheme-fitting skill set. The 5-8 rusher didn’t have many Power 4 offers out of high school, but one of the first programs to offer him was James Madison when Cignetti was at the helm.”
Value: “Richard had a very productive season in 2025 with 749 yards on the ground. He has a compact build that helps him play with a low center of gravity and the ability to break tackles. His running style is patient as he has a good feel to cut off the backside of blocks. He runs behind his pads and finishes runs with good demeanor. As a receiver out of the backfield, he also provides a reliable checkdown option. Cignetti noted that he liked what Richard did this spring as he will have the opportunity to be impactful and a reliable option at running back for an Indiana team that is looking to repeat.”
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Two future Boilermakers are taking the floor and will go head-to-head during Indiana All-Star Week. 2026 signee Luke Ertel and 2027 commit Isaiah Hill are battling it out on Wednesday, June 3, as the Indiana All-Stars will play the Indiana Junior All-Stars.
Wednesday will be the third time Ertel and Hill have played against each other this season. During the IHSAA basketball season, Ertel’s Mt. Vernon team took on Hill’s Pike squad twice.
Hill led the Red Devils to an 84-81 overtime victory during the regular season. In the Regional of the Class 4A IHSAA Basketball Tournament, Ertel guided Mt. Vernon to a 57-54 overtime victory. The Marauders went on to win the state championship.
Who will win the third and decisive battle between the future Boilermakers on Wednesday? Here’s the information necessary to watch the game.
How to watch the Indiana All-Star Game
- What — Indiana Junior All-Stars vs. Indiana All-Stars
- When — Wednesday, June 3, 2026
- Where — Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Ind.
- Tipoff time — 8 p.m. ET (approx.)
- Ticket price — $15
- Stream — ISC Indiana Sports Network YouTube Channel
Hill participated in Indiana-Kentucky Jr. All-Star Game
Wednesday night’s Junior-Senior All-Star Game will be the second time Hill has competed during Indiana All-Star Week. The Pike star and five-star center also played in Sunday’s Indiana-Kentucky Junior All-Star Game.
Hill put together a solid performance, scoring 15 points, grabbing a team-high seven rebounds and recording three blocks. His efforts helped lead Indiana to a 109-99 victory over Kentucky.
Ertel and the Indiana All-Stars have not yet played during Indiana All-Star Week, with their first game scheduled for Wednesday against the Junior All-Stars. Then, to close out the week, Ertel will participate in the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Series, with games being played in Lexington and Indianapolis.
Ertel, Hill highly rated recruits in respective classes
There’s already plenty of hype surrounding Ertel and Hill, both players who are highly-ranked recruits in their respective classes.
Ertel is the top-ranked player from Indiana in the 2026 recruiting class and is considered a top-50 prospect by 247Sports. He was named Indiana Mr. Basketball, averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in his senior season at Mt. Vernon.
Hill is a year younger, but became the highest-ranked recruit ever to commit to play at Purdue. The 2027 product was a star at Pike High School during his junior season, averaging 12.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game. He is a five-star prospect and ranked as the No. 10 player in the class, per ESPN.
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GASTON, Ind. (WKRC) – An Indiana man was accused of sexually assaulting a young homeless woman in a barn.
According to WXIN, 34-year-old Dale E. Bosworth was arrested after he allegedly sexually assaulted a homeless 18-year-old woman in a barn after the two connected through social media.
WXIN reported that Bosworth picked up the woman on May 24 while visiting Kokomo, Indiana, and brought her back to his home after seeing a Facebook post in which she said she had no money and nowhere to stay.
Court documents obtained and reviewed by WXIN state that Bosworth and his wife picked up the woman in a truck around 10 p.m. and drove her to their home. The woman stayed the night and was later offered $100 to perform work in a barn in Delaware County.
According to WXIN, Bosworth drove the woman to a friend’s barn in Gaston, Indiana. While the two were alone, Bosworth allegedly asked if she wanted to “fool around.” The woman told law enforcement she did not respond to the question. Bosworth then allegedly began rubbing her back and unzipped his overalls.
WXIN reported that Bosworth is accused of sexually assaulting the woman until he heard a noise near the barn. He later allegedly told his friend that the woman was refusing to work and that he needed to take her back to his home.
During the drive back to Marion, Indiana, the woman used the “Texty” app to contact Grant County 911 and reported that she had been raped, according to WXIN.
Authorities in Grant County then contacted the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies later located and stopped Bosworth’s vehicle, per the report.
While being questioned by investigators, Bosworth reportedly admitted that the woman had stayed at his home. Court documents reviewed by WXIN state that he spent “well over 20 minutes” explaining how he came to be alone with the alleged victim while denying any sexual contact.
When asked whether his DNA would be found on the woman’s body, Bosworth allegedly admitted to certain sexual acts. According to WXIN, he told investigators that the woman “did not say yes or no” when he asked her to undress and engage in sexual intercourse, but claimed she “looked at him” when he asked.
Authorities said Bosworth later admitted to portions of the assault after initially providing false statements and reportedly told investigators that “cops freak him out,” according to the report.
Bosworth was arrested and charged with the following, per WXIN:
According to WXIN, investigators determined that Bosworth knowingly and intentionally caused the woman to submit to sexual conduct, which constitutes rape under Indiana law.
He is being held without bond at the Delaware County Jail, WXIN reported.
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