COLUMBIA, S.C. — Yarden Garzon delivered a stellar performance with 17 points, and Shay Ciezki contributed 16, propelling ninth-seeded Indiana to a 76-68 triumph over eighth seed Utah in their NCAA Tournament opener on Friday.
The Hoosiers (20-12) marked the sixth successive season where they secured at least 20 victories. This win sets up an expected showdown with the Birmingham 2 Regional’s number one seed, South Carolina, who will confront No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech later the same day.
Ciezki proved crucial in the latter half of the game, scoring 11 of her 16 points. During the third quarter, Indiana seized control with a defining 15-4 scoring surge. Despite Gianna Kneepkens bringing Utah (22-9) close with a 3-pointer, narrowing the gap to 72-68 with just over a minute remaining, Indiana remained firm.
Kneepkens emerged as Utah’s standout performer, scoring 24 points, including a thrilling four-point play in the fourth quarter.
**Key Insights**
For Indiana, this victory underscored their ability to maintain a competitive edge without the advantage of being home hosts, as had been the case in their last four NCAA appearances.
Utah faced a significant setback when their game faltered in the third quarter. During a critical stretch, the team failed to convert any of their six shots and committed two turnovers, letting an initial lead slip into a nine-point deficit.
**Decisive Moment**
The turning point came early in the third quarter when Garzon scored to tie the game, followed by a pivotal 3-pointer from Ciezki. This ignited a 15-4 run, securing a lead Indiana would hold onto for the rest of the game.