It is smart why Lilly Meister would possibly really feel strain this season.
Indiana girls’s basketball’s junior ahead will likely be tasked with filling the footwear of Mackenzie Holmes, a former first staff All-American and this system’s all-time main scorer. Meister embraced the function as Holmes’ understudy the final two years, nevertheless it’s clear she’s striving to carve her personal path.
“I need all people to realize it’s Lilly Meister,” Chloe Moore-McNeil mentioned Wednesday at Indiana’s media day at Cook dinner Corridor. “It’s not ‘Little Mack’, ‘Child Mack’. Lilly, she has her personal recreation.”
After logging 6.5 minutes per recreation as a freshman, Meister averaged 10.5 final season. Regardless of the uptick in her minutes, the offense remained centered round Holmes’ inside skill. That’s not the case anymore.
Whereas Meister has tried simply two 3-pointers in her collegiate profession, she’ll be requested to area the ground and step out past the arc rather more this season. Teri Moren plans to implement rules from Princeton’s five-out offense and emphasize off-ball motion.
For Meister, that’s music to her ears.
“I believe that enhances my confidence a bit of bit as a result of that’s extra of my recreation,” Meister mentioned. “I grew up enjoying extra of a 5 out and that simply suits me. It’s who I’m.”
That mentality will likely be key. Moore-McNeil — getting into her fifth season at Indiana — mentioned it’s simple to see Meister’s “fireplace” when she faucets into her confidence. It helps, too, that there will likely be no scarcity of surrounding shooters.
Indiana introduced in junior Shay Ciezki from Penn State to recoup a few of Sara Scalia’s manufacturing capturing. Moore-McNeil, Sydney Parrish and Yarden Garzon have confirmed adept from past the arc. In apply, Meister’s teammates are seeing why she would possibly add a brand new dimension to the Hoosiers’ offense.
“Lilly didn’t get an excessive amount of enjoying time behind Mackenzie the final two years,” Parrish mentioned. “However coming into her new function this 12 months, you see her stepping out to the 3-point line pulling down shot after shot after shot.”
Whereas Meister’s enjoying time was restricted, her apply reps have been important. Studying from Holmes, Meister improved each on offense along with her again to the basket and on protection guarding the rim.
It helped her opponent was a Wood Award finalist and power on each ends of the ground.
“Defensively, she obtained higher having to do this day in and time out,” Moren mentioned. “However on the opposite facet of that, she was additionally going towards Mack offensively, so she needed to be taught to attain in numerous methods.”
Former gamers making an affect on employees
Moore-McNeil admitted it was bizarre to see Holmes with out a jersey at apply.
After concluding an illustrious enjoying profession, Holmes was employed as a graduate supervisor on the Hoosiers’ employees in July. However Holmes gained’t be the one acquainted face on the sidelines this season.
Keyanna Warthen performed 116 video games at Indiana and was a member of the 2021 Elite Eight squad. After spending final 12 months as an assistant coach below former IU affiliate head coach Glenn Field at Miami (OH), Warthen was introduced again to Bloomington.
Moren mentioned it’s invaluable to have staffers who can attest higher than most to this system’s tradition and expectations.
“That goes a great distance, particularly with the dad and mom,” Moren mentioned. “When you have got former gamers that need to come again they usually need to be part of this place — need to be part of your program — I believe that speaks volumes to what we’ve been in a position to do.”
The employees makeover included the promotion of Ali Patberg, who will function a full-time assistant coach this season. Patberg earned 4 All-Large Ten choices as a participant and was drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2022.
Her affect is clear in practices. Sophomore Lenee Beaumont mentioned Patberg understands the “ups and downs of a season” and continually supplies reassurance and instills confidence.
Together with the event facet, Patberg is already offering recruiting wins. When Ciezki entered the switch portal, she had a telephone name with Patberg that marked the start of a tight-knit bond. The 2 mentioned religion and Patberg’s expertise transferring to Indiana from Notre Dame and Ciezki was offered.
“We have been type of simply joined on the hip since then,” Ciezki mentioned. “AP is somebody that I didn’t essentially assume I wanted in my life till I met her. She confirmed me that there’s a love of the sport.”
‘Seamless’ transition for newcomers
Ciezki and Tennessee senior switch Karoline Striplin rapidly grew to become shut, which helped as a result of they have been the staff’s solely two transfers.
The primary day Striplin was on campus, the 2 had dinner at Da Vinci Pizza & Pasta. Sophomore Lexus Bargesser mentioned the staff hangs out steadily off the courtroom and has already developed robust chemistry.
Moren referred to as the transition “seamless.” For Ciezki and Striplin, it helped too that they walked in with an understanding of Indiana’s mindset. Ciezski — who Moren calls a “bulldog” — was struck by the quantity of gamers coaching on an early Saturday morning when she initially visited.
“It’s Saturday morning,” Ciezki mentioned. “From that time I used to be like ‘OK they work right here.’ These persons are within the fitness center continually, and I find it irresistible.”
All through the recruiting course of, Ciezki’s golden phrase was “like-minded.” She needed a staff that performs relentless protection. She needed a staff that might be a part of her within the fitness center to place up additional pictures or run.
At Indiana, Moren preaches simply that.
“Being within the fitness center, doing greater than what’s required right here isn’t simply an expectation,” Moren mentioned. “It’s turn into a life-style for our gamers.”
As for Striplin, who averaged a career-best 7.2 factors and three.1 rebounds final season, that work ethic was established at Tennessee. She backed up No. 4 WNBA draft choose Rickea Jackson and understands the usual a powerhouse program requires.
Striplin suits proper in on a staff the place toughness and grit are stipulations.
“Particularly being a publish, I believe you have got to have the ability to take plenty of hits with out essentially getting all the glory,” Striplin mentioned. “That’s one thing I’m happy with. I really feel like that’s type of the tradition coach Moren has constructed right here.”
(Photograph credit score: IU Athletics)
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