It’s often easy to forget how good you have something until it’s gone. In the case of Indiana women’s basketball, two-time All-American forward Mackenzie Holmes was a luxury, but Wednesday night marked the first time without her on the roster in five seasons.
However, powerhouse programs constantly retool and reload. Under Teri Moren’s guidance, the IU program has become an annual contender and the traits of a great program have followed. While Indiana doesn’t boast another star to step right into Holmes’ role, it will instead match the production by committee.
Facing Division II Maryville in the team’s sole exhibition game, junior forward Lilly Meister blossomed with 19 points, and newcomer senior forward Karoline Striplin showed glimpses of dominance in a 95-27 drubbing. Neither is quite the presence Holmes was, but it may be enough to hold down the paint.
“I feel really confident with both Lilly and Karoline,” Moren said postgame. “I’m excited about both of those guys filling the role for us in the low post.”
Meister earned the start and feasted on a size advantage early, scoring six of the Hoosiers’ first eight points in various ways. She showed off strong post-ups with nifty footwork, a delicate touch in the paint with a hook shot and also an aggressive offensive rebound and putback layup.
While Meister’s play in the paint was promising, what she did outside of it can add an entirely new element to Indiana’s offense. The Hoosiers can play five out.
Throughout the game, Meister showed no fear stepping outside and knocking down 15-footers with ease, both in the middle of the key and along the baseline. Her range goes deeper, too. While she didn’t convert on a 3-pointer, her sole attempt just rimmed out.
“It draws my defender,” Meister said. “It either brings them towards me, which opens up the lane for anybody to cut, otherwise if they drop back it opens up a wide-open jump shot.”
Meister showed sound decision-making, too, passing out of double teams and finding a teammate for an assist. She didn’t commit a turnover in the matchup.
In 17 minutes of play, Meister finished with a stat line of 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting, four rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal.
Striplin, a 6-foot-3 transfer from Tennessee, didn’t have as productive of a night but still showed some flashes. Her five points came in the first half – two left-handed finishes from the right-hander and a one-for-two trip at the free throw line.
Striplin’s defensive showing provides optimism. She utilized her size and physicality for six rebounds, two offensive and swatted away three shots.
Moren was adamant that Striplin’s night doesn’t account for how the offseason has been.
“Her 2-for-7 tonight is not indicative of the way Karoline Striplin has been practicing for us,” Moren explained. “I mean she has really, really been good.”
The Hoosiers have additional help in the frontcourt in junior forward Sharnecce Currie-Jelks and freshman forward Faith Wiseman. Moren shared postgame that freshman forward Sydney Fenn underwent season-ending knee surgery in the offseason. Meister and Striplin are expected to shoulder the load in the frontcourt.
Meister, in particular, is ready to step up after serving as understudy to Holmes her first two seasons. Like Meister and her teammates shared at Indiana’s media day, she isn’t expected to be another Mackenzie Holmes. Moren and the Hoosiers want Lilly Meister to play her own way.
“She just has to stay steady for us,” Moren said. “I don’t want her to feel like she has to be anybody but Lilly.”
Indiana and its new frontcourt tandem will begin their regular season on Monday, Nov. 4 against Brown in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. ET.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
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