IU women’s basketball gets No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) —  Indiana University’s women’s basketball team has earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

Some wondered if the Hoosiers — who in February clinched their first Big Ten regular season title in 40 years — would miss out on a top seed after losing to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, but the team secured the No. 1 seed in the Greenville 2 region.

Indiana’s top seeding means the Hoosiers will host the first and second rounds of the tournament at home in Bloomington, where they are undefeated this season.

Head coach Teri Moren expressed her gratitude and excitement over the team’s accomplishment at a press conference Sunday.

“To be selected first, but also to get that number one seed — which has never happened in this program — it is thrilling, but we are very humbled by it and grateful,” Moren said.

The team, led by standout player Mackenzie Holmes, who averages 22.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, will begin their tournament journey on Saturday against either Tennessee Tech or Monmouth.

This year marks Indiana’s ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

“I think it is kind of surreal. I think it is really cool getting those one seeds now and getting those top five teams. In years past, it’s been pretty consistently the same teams,” Holmes said Sunday.

However, Indiana is one of four No. 1 seeds with something to prove this year.

The South Carolina Gamecocks — the No. 1 overall seed — are just six wins away from a perfect season and hope to become the tenth women’s basketball team to go undefeated. Virginia Tech and Stanford are the other tournament’s other No. 1 seeds.

The tournament promises to be an exciting and historic event, featuring some of the country’s best women’s basketball teams competing for the championship.