Indiana routs Tennessee Tech with Mackenzie Holmes sidelined

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Sydney Parrish scored 19 points and had eight rebounds to lead the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers past Tennessee Tech 77-47 in the first round of the women's NCAA tournament on Saturday.

All-American center Mackenzie Holmes cheered on her Indiana teammates from the bench while resting a sore knee. Grace Berger had 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks and Lilly Meister added seven points and three blocks in her first career start.

Indiana (28-3) faces the winner of Saturday's second game between eighth-seeded Oklahoma State and ninth-seeded Miami.

Coach Teri Moren said after the game that Holmes was available in case of emergency and she's optimistic the senior will be able to play in Monday's second-round game, when the Hoosiers will be chasing their third-straight Sweet 16 appearance.

Maaliya Owens had 17 points and nine rebounds to lead Tennessee Tech (23-10), which had won its previous eight games.

After finishing the first quarter tied at 18, the Golden Eagles took a 22-20 lead on Anna Walker's layup with 6:53 to go.

Then the Hoosiers took their cue. Meister tied the score with a layup, Lexus Bargesser followed with back-to-back layups on fast breaks and when Berger made two free throws with 2:55 left in the first half, Indiana led 37-22.

Tennessee Tech never got within single digits again.

Whether it was the fatigue of playing seven games in 23 days, the 36½-hour turnaround from their play-in game win over Monmouth or simply the disparity in talent, the Golden Eagles' remarkable run came to an unceremonious end. But with much of the roster back from a team that made its first NCAA tournament appearance in 23 years and won its first tournament game in 33 years, coach Kim Rosamond