Penn State women’s basketball (11-18, 4-14 Big Ten) was dismantled by Indiana (17-13, 6-12 Big Ten) 93 – 59 in the regular season finale in Bloomington, Indiana, on Saturday.

The Lady Lions found themselves down big early, and a 23-point first-quarter lead from the Hoosiers was only extended as the game continued. Gracie Merkle gave her best effort, battling through injury, posting 22 points alongside 10 rebounds.

How It Happened

Penn State won the opening tip, but Indiana forced an early stop, ran the floor, and drew first blood with a corner three followed by an easy floater. The Hoosier defense held strong until Gracie Merkle scored inside for two after the Lady Lions opened 0-for-5 from the field.

Merk getting to work early #LionMentality pic.twitter.com/uAoljIVgqv

— Penn State Women's Basketball (@PennStateWBB) February 28, 2026

Indiana unleashed a barrage of triples, starting with Shay Ciezki firing one off and followed by back-to-back threes from Maya Makalusky from each wing, forcing a Lady Lion timeout trailing 14-2 early.

After a turnover, Indiana worked one inside off the glass. Another Penn State mishap turned into a Hoosier fast-break layup. The Hoosiers drew a foul on the next trip, sinking both free throws, and a Lady Lion airball set the margin at 20-2 with four minutes to play in the first.

Following Indiana’s fifth made triple, Moriah Murray finally connected for Penn State’s first three-pointer. The Hoosiers scored immediately, and Ciezki ripped the ball away, drove in transition, and nailed an elbow jumper to put Indiana up by 22.

Penn State coughed up three more turnovers in the final two minutes, Indiana added a pair of free throws during the span. Murray saw her second three of the night fall from the wing, but Ciezki closed the quarter with another elbow jumper to give the Hoosiers a commanding 31-8 lead.

Indiana opened the second frame the same way it started the first, a triple from the corner. Merkle responded by working on the inside for two. The Hoosiers added another within the circle before Amaya Evans hit a mid-range jumper to make it 35-12.

The Lady Lions forced a stop, but their fourth airball and tenth turnover of the afternoon turned into another easy Indiana transition bucket. Penn State fouled, the Hoosiers hit both free throws at the line. Indiana then hooked one down inside the paint to stretch the lead to 30.

Moriah Murray found space in the corner and drained another triple, bringing her total to nine of Penn State’s 15 points with 5:43 left in the quarter.

Ciezki created space and hit another mid-range jumper, sending the game into a media timeout with Indiana ahead 44-15.

Following the break, Merkle scored on the inside. Penn State followed with a defensive stand, but another missed three and a foul sent Makalusky to the line, where she knocked down both shots. Freshman Nyla McFadden attacked the rim, drawing a foul of her own and flushing the Lady Lions’ first free throws of the night.

The Lady Lions forced another stop, but an offensive foul, the team’s 12th turnover, led to Indiana splashing back-to-back threes. Kiyomi McMiller responded with flashy handles and drove down the baseline for her first bucket of the night.

Tèa Clèante shifted through the paint for her first score, but Indiana scored on two straight possessions to extend the lead to 57-23 heading into the half.

Penn State opened the second half with a corner three of their own from Nyla McFadden, but Ciezki answered by splitting two defenders and finishing at the rim. Gracie Merkle went to work inside, hitting a pair of free throws before scoring on back-to-back possessions to cut into the lead.

Indiana responded with outstanding ball movement around the perimeter, knocking down a jumper and following it with a defensive stand and an easy transition layup to set the score at 63-28.

Merkle stayed hot, adding another bucket in the paint and a set of free throws to reach 10 straight points for the Lady Lions, but Ciezki’s three stretched the lead back to 30 heading into the media timeout with 4:50 remaining in the quarter.

After the intermission, Indiana capitalized at the line following a Penn State foul, Moriah Murray drained her fourth triple of the night to attempt to give the Lady Lions a spark.

Merkle added a second-chance layup, and Viktoria Ranisavljevic was fouled on a three-point attempt, converting two of three from the stripe.

Makalusky answered with a bucket to push the lead to 70-43, and a Hoosier putback moments later made it 72-43. Both teams missed chances late, sending the game to the fourth with Indiana in full control.

Gracie Merkle opened the fourth quarter by battling on the glass for a putback, but the Lady Lion center went down shortly after, holding her left ankle.

Teams traded baskets until two quick Indiana scores sent Penn State to the bench trailing 79-45. The timeout didn’t help, as the Lady Lions’ 15th turnover led to another easy Hoosier bucket at the rim.

Penn State’s offense stalled, and Indiana finished through contact for an and-one to cap a 12-0 run and extend the lead to 84-45. Merkle returned to the floor and scored inside with five minutes left.

McMiller went to the line and converted both free throws, but Indiana responded immediately with a Ciezki jumper. Penn State pressed, yet Indiana broke it with ease, finding an open layup. McFadden scored on a layup, Ciezki answered with a deep three to push the Hoosiers’ lead to 91-51 with 2:50 remaining.

McFadden flashed late scoring on back-to-back possessions, and Ranisavljevic finished a tough and one to close a disappointing afternoon in Indiana.

Takeaways

• A slow start doomed the game early, as the Lady Lions were unable to recover from a 20-point deficit.
• Turnovers. Eighteen giveaways told the story as Penn State fumbled the chance to clinch Big Ten tournament play.
• The Hoosier defense suffocated the Lady Lions; Penn State shot 32.8% from the field, 19% from beyond the arc.

What’s Next?

Penn State’s loss leaves the Lady Lions awaiting the outcome of Purdue vs. Northwestern; a Purdue win eliminates Penn State from Big Ten tournament play and ends the season.

A Northwestern win sees the Lady Lions face the No. 10 seed, either USC, Illinois, Washington, or Oregon, in Indianapolis on Wednesday, March 4 at 6 p.m. EST. The game would be broadcast on Peacock.