Indiana women's basketball center Mackenzie Holmes will start vs. Miami
BLOOMINGTON — IU forward Mackenzie Holmes will start Monday night's NCAA tournament second-round game against No. 9-seed Miami. Though she was available, the senior All-American did not play in the top-seeded Hoosiers' first-round win over Tennessee Tech due to knee soreness.
Coach Teri Moren told reporters Sunday that Holmes was "more than ready" to return to the lineup, but said her minutes will "probably" be limited, with her lack of full-court reps over the past couple weeks likely requiring them to "get her out a little bit sooner than normal."
"(Holmes) looks good and I think she feels great," Moren said.
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"A lot of this has just been precautionary," she continued. "We have goals for this tournament, so as much as we can protect Mackenzie and give her reps off, we're trying to take advantage of that."
With regard to the injury, Moren said it's a recurring injury Holmes has had since before she arrived at Indiana and she "just tweaked it." Holmes told reporters Saturday she reaggravated it during the Big Ten tournament earlier this month, and has been practicing "as much as (she) can."
"We're trying to be smart. It's a pretty long stretch," she said. "Some days I do other stuff and just keep myself active. But yeah, it's the medical staff making decisions day-by-day."
The first Hoosier to garner first team All-American honors from the United States Basketball Writers Association and the Associated Press, Holmes averages 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots per game, and is among the nation's most efficient shooters at 68.8%.
She is a finalist for the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award and in the running for both the Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy.
Freshman Lilly Meister started in Holmes' place on Saturday, logging seven points on 3-of-4 shooting with four rebounds, three blocks and an assist over a season-high 20 minutes. Grad transfer Alyssa Geary also helped fill in for Holmes, finishing with three points, three rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal over 17 minutes.
Asked if her game plan will be altered at all based on Holmes' availability, Miami coach Katie Meier shook her head no and replied: "We're going to be prepared."
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana women's basketball star Mackenzie Holmes will start vs. Miami
