Talented backcourts clash in IU's Round of 32 matchup with Princeton

The Hoosiers are coming off of an 85-51 win in the first round against Charlotte. That win was not only a significant one to advance in the NCAA Tournament, it also made Ali Patberg and Grace Berger the program’s all-time winningest players with 89 victories.

On Monday, that duo will not only look to push Indiana into the Sweet Sixteen, but they could be potentially playing their final game as teammates. While Patberg is set to graduate, Berger has said that she will be returning to Indiana to use her free Covid year next season.

Those two have been a huge part of Indiana's success over the last five years and have been two of the most decorated Hoosiers in program history. Now, they face another test going up against two talented guards on the other end of the floor for Princeton.

The winners of the Ivy League, they are led by a trio of guards in Abby Meyer at 18.2 points per game, Julia Cunningham adding 13.3 points per game and Kaitlyn Chen who averages 10.5 per game.

That trio combined for 53 of the Tigers 69 points in a first round upset win over Kentucky. Meyer had 29 herself.

"She's a great player. It's going to take not just one person guarding her but just all five of us," Patberg said of Meyer. "Knowing where to be in positions, gaps. But she can score at all three levels. We're just going to have to make it tough on her. And, again, like I said, it's going to take our whole team to slow her down.

"You're right. Our league is full of great guards. So, one, that's the good thing. And we've had to guard a lot of those. But she can score at all three levels. She's probably a better athlete than she looks like," Indiana head coach Teri Moren said of Meyer. "But to say that she is on 10 all the time would be an understatement, as far as her activity, being able to step out. She has a quick trigger. But she's also, has a little spin, floater game, up-and-under game. She can score in a lot of different ways. She has a lot of tricks in her bag.

"Ali Patberg is going to have the nod at guarding her. What we've seen with Ali is anytime Ali has a challenge, she's been pretty good in those scenarios. I think other kids like Chloe Moore-McNeil will also have to help, and maybe you'll see Grace and Nicki as well. But she's terrific. She was terrific yesterday against Kentucky."

Indiana knows it will have to defend Meyer and that entire trio, but the same goes on the other end of the floor.

"And I think for us, just taking smart shots, but knowing where I think we have advantages on the offensive end," Patberg added. "So just, again, we always come into every game prepared. Our coaches always have a great game plan and we just need to go out and execute it."

That is a matchup that Patberg is not only excited about, but one that she knows Indiana has to win if she wants her career to continue.

"I love Assembly Hall. I grew up coming to games. Dreamed about playing here. And I'm just thankful that I had two more games than I normally would have. And senior night wasn't my last game," Patberg said. "But honestly, like, I'm just trying to stay in the moment. I'm trying to be prepared mentally for our game, because I want to win. I want to win bad."

Overall, Indiana is ready to keep its season going and try to reach even new heights after its Elite Eight appearance a season ago.

"We know we'll have our hands full tomorrow... Well-coached. Great discipline. Play hard. We'll have to do a lot of really good things to get the result we want," Moren said. "Watching them yesterday with their movement, how disciplined they are. If they don't get the first option off their stuff, they're willing to be patient enough to maybe get the second or the third or the fourth. So they're really going to test us defensively."

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