While players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese grab headlines, Indiana star Mackenzie Holmes keeps quietly making her case for National Player of the Year.
Against No. 5 Iowa on Thursday, Holmes had 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting and six rebounds. She also held Iowa center Monika Czinano — who entered the game averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game — to six points, seven rebounds and four turnovers. Czinano fouled out in the fourth quarter while trying to guard Holmes.
No. 2 Indiana held on to beat the Hawkeyes 87-78 despite Clark’s 35 points.
“I knew the task at hand, and I know the type of player Czinano is going into the game,” Holmes said. “So I really just tried to have a defensive mindset going into this game, knowing that it wasn’t going to be easy, but just try to be myself. Not do anything special, out of the ordinary.”
“You can look at the stats,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said. “But all you got to do is watch her. She’s pretty phenomenal.”
Holmes’ performance on Thursday was nothing new: The senior forward is averaging 22.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. She’s also shooting 69 percent from the…
