Sydney Parrish heats up as IU women's basketball beats Maryland

BLOOMINGTON -- Indiana women's basketball started a stretch of games Thursday night against teams with NCAA Tournament aspirations.

In their first major test in weeks, the Hoosiers beat No. 9 Maryland 68-61 in a battle of Big Ten heavyweights.

Sydney Parrish is productive on both ends

Here's Sydney Parrish in a nutshell: Bri McDaniel drove along the baseline. Parrish slid her feet to cut off the Maryland guard as the clock neared the 6-minute mark of the second quarter. McDaniel picked up her dribble and attempted a tight pass to the middle of the floor. The ball was deflected, and Parrish sprawled to save it and get IU running the opposite direction.

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Parrish hasn't left the starting lineup since replacing the injured Grace Berger in late November. Even after Berger returned Sunday, Parrish stayed in the lineup; Sara Scalia came off the bench for the first time.

Against Maryland, Parrish did everything expected of her as a small-ball power forward. She scored 18 points, grabbed four rebounds and recovered from a forgettable shooting performance against Northwestern to knock down 3-of-7 3-pointers. She guarded multiple players and had three steals.

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Maryland controls the pace

Opponents defend IU by pressing. They leave a pair of guards in the backcourt and prevent Grace Berger and Chloe Moore-McNeil from walking the ball up the floor. It speeds the Hoosiers and sometimes gets them out of their usual movement-based offense.

The Terrapins pressed and ran whenever they could throughout a frenetic, physical four quarters. IU handled it better than it did against Penn State or Michigan State earlier in the season. Berger was a major reason for that. Indiana coach Teri Moren has frequently lauded the graduate student's low pulse and veteran savvy, her ability to handle the ball against pressure without panicking.

With the ball in Berger's hands, IU played as fast as Maryland's pressure forced it to, but rarely rushed or forced any action. Berger attacked the basket when the lane was open, dishing to Mackenzie Holmes when she had the chance, and backing out when nothing was there.

The speed did play into the strengths of Maryland, however. It allowed the Terrapins to get their long, athletic wings Shyanne Sellers and Diamond Miller into space with the IU defense on its heels. With Berger as the primary defender and frequent help on drives, Miller was contained in the half court. Much of her production (19 points) came in transition.

IU makes plays when it matters

You can attribute it to Berger's presence after six weeks away with a knee injury or just the overall experience of this Indiana team, but throughout the season, the Hoosiers have played their best late in games when the pressure is highest. Thursday was the latest example.

After Maryland tied the score at 50 in the fourth quarter. Indiana immediately ripped off a 7-0 run, highlighted by a Yarden Garzon 3-pointer and a vintage Berger midrange jumper. The Terrapins called timeout, scored, and IU went right back to its strengths, going inside to Holmes for an easy basket. Maryland made another run, but Indiana never trailed and always had an answer.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU women's basketball: Hoosiers beat Maryland in top-10 matchup