How To Watch No. 8 Utah Women’s Basketball Vs. No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers

Mar 20, 2025, 9:00 AM

Utah Insider

SALT LAKE CITY—Gavin Peterson and the No. 8 seeded Utah women’s basketball program made the trip east to prepare for their opening-round matchup against the No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers.

The Utes and Hoosiers will play at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C. on Friday, March 21, at 11:30 a.m. (MT).

This will be the first match-up between the Hoosiers and the Utes in program history. The Utes finished the regular season with a 22-8 record and 13-5 in Big 12 play, while Indiana enters this one with a 19-12 overall record and 10-8 in the Big Ten.

This is the fourth consecutive year the Utah women have made the Women’s NCAA Tournament. The Utes have made it to the second round each of the previous three years, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2023.

How To Watch No. 8 Utah Vs. No. 9 Indiana

Date: Friday, March 21, 2025

Tip-Off: 11:30 am (MST)

TV: ESPN2

Online: WatchESPN.com

Radio: ESPN 700 AM

Fans can watch the matchup on ESPN2 with Courtney Lyle on the play-by-play and Carolyn Peck as analyst. The radio call will be on ESPN700 and can be found on the TuneIn app, with Tyson Ewing and Milee Rustand calling the action.

What to know about the Indiana Hoosiers

Given their record, Indiana finished the regular season fairly strong. They won six of its last ten games, which included a win over No. 8 Ohio State. Then as the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten tournament, the Hoosiers defeated No. 8 seed Oregon 78-62 before keeping it close, but losing 84-79, with No. 1 seed USC.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams. The only team both Utah and Indiana have played this year was Northwestern. The Utes fell to the Wildcats 71-69 on Nov. 14, while the Hoosiers defeated NU 68-64 on Jan. 8, both in Evanston.

As a team, the Hoosiers rank third in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (36.7%) and third in free throw percentage (78.9%), further highlighting their offensive efficiency and depth. Indiana boasts a balanced offensive attack, with four players averaging double figures.

Led by 6-foot-3 Yarden Garzon, who contributes 14.5 points per game and leads the team with 164 rebounds on the season. Garzon’s shooting from beyond the arc has been a major strength, finishing atop the Big Ten in 3-pointers made with 85, ten more than the next player, while shooting an impressive 41.5%.

The 6-foot-2 Sydney Parrish averages 11.9 points per game thanks to her ability to score efficiently and contribute on both ends. She’s the top rebounder for the Hoosiers at 5.4 per game. She has been a versatile force for the Hoosiers.

Shay Ciezki has emerged as a reliable contributor, ranking third in the Big Ten for total minutes played with 1,052, demonstrating her endurance and work ethic. Ciezki’s tenacity on both offense and defense, combined with her high-minute role, has made her a crucial asset for the team.

Karoline Striplin, adding 10.1 points per game, adds valuable depth to the frontcourt, providing size and scoring. Chloe Moore-McNeil leads the team in assists at 4.4 per game and does a good job of setting up everyone else.

Kneepekens, McQueen to lead Utah women’s basketball

With today’s seeding, Utah’s Kennady McQueen and Gianna Kneepkens will need to elevate their games to an even higher level. Given the No. 8 seed in Region 2, Utah will have to travel east to take on No. 9 Indiana. Given the destination, that will put a premium on veteran experience and playmaking, which these two have to provide.

Ready to DANCE 💃 #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/wB0RU2ZmTF

— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) March 17, 2025

Both players are among the elite in the nation, standing as the only ones currently averaging a 50/40/90 shooting line, with at least 10 points per game and over 150 minutes played. Their exceptional efficiency and scoring abilities will be vital for the Utes’ success in the tournament.

McQueen has been a steady contributor throughout the season, averaging 10.5 points per game across 714 minutes of play. With the stakes rising in the tournament, McQueen will need to elevate her game and provide the Utes with consistent scoring, particularly from long range, where her efficiency can stretch opposing defenses.

However, Kneepkens is the player Utah will rely on heavily to lead the offensive attack in the tournament. Averaging 19.0 points per game, Kneepkens has been nothing short of outstanding. She boasts shooting splits of 51.3% from the field, 45.3% from three, and 89.5% from the free throw line. She’s also averaging 5.1 rebounds per game, and with her leadership and elite scoring ability, she is a force to be reckoned with.

Both McQueen and Kneepkens are players who can change the course of a game, and with the one-and-done pressure in the tournament, they will need to continue to step up as leaders. These two not only need to maintain a good level of play—they need to elevate their games—to propel Utah on a tourney run.