No 1-vs.-16 drama here. IU women advance with 30-point win over Tennessee Tech

BLOOMINGTON — It's on to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the top-seeded Indiana women's basketball team, which ran away with a 77-47 victory over No. 16-seed Tennessee Tech on Saturday at Assembly Hall.

The day's biggest story transpired before the game with news senior forward Mackenzie Holmes would be limited due to knee soreness. The USBWA first team All-American pick was available per the team's Twitter account, but did not play.

Here are three reasons the Hoosiers are moving on.

'A dream come true.'Lilly Meister's first start came on biggest stage. And she shined.

Grace Berger did a great many Grace Berger things

The guard essentially took on Tennessee Tech by herself at the outset. She had a hand in IU's first 11 points, registering two assists and scoring five points herself, including a fastbreak layup that gave IU its first lead and a three-point play to negate the third of Tennessee Tech's four first-quarter triples.

Berger was particularly brilliant around the basket, showing off her arsenal of moves as she weaved around defenders and either finished at the rim or earned a trip to the line.

Berger, who had nine points in the first quarter, finished with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal.

'She's a fighter.'Chloe Moore-McNeil is unsung glue for No. 1 seed IU

'It was a very special moment.'March Madness reunites Garzon sisters

The freshmen stepped up in critical moments

Lilly Meister was very good starting in place of the injured Holmes, logging seven points, four rebounds, three blocks and an assist over 20 minutes.

The freshman forward kickstarted a 17-2 run in the second quarter, ending a six-minute IU shooting drought with back-to-back layups. The second, which saw Meister catch a pass from Sydney Parrish in the paint and artfully weave her way around a defender, tied the score at 20.

Then it was Lexus Bargesser's turn. The 5-9 guard played sparingly through February, but was critical to sustaining momentum against Tennessee Tech. She followed Meister's second bucket with a layup (the sequence was initiated by a Meister rebound), then converted a court-length pass from Chloe Moore-McNeil into an easy layup that gave IU a four-point lead and forced a Tennessee Tech timeout.

Bargesser collected six points and an assist.

Not to be overlooked: Freshman Yarden Garzon recorded 12 points with two triples, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.

Indiana shot 58% as a team and was charged with just 10 turnovers, its fewest since the regular-season finale vs. Iowa.

Hoosier block party

IU held a significant height advantage over the Golden Eagles and it took full advantage, totaling 11 blocks.

There were a number to choose from, but the swat(s) of the game should go to Berger. The 6-0 guard was tied up with a Tech player and fell to the floor underneath the basket. She wanted a call, didn't get it, and promptly blocked Reagan Hurst's shot attempt in the lane. Hurst recovered the loose ball and tried again … only to be rejected by Berger again.

Indiana — which limited Tennessee Tech to 28% shooting — held a 38-33 advantage on the glass. It allowed 13 offensive rebounds, but only five second chance points.

Up next

The Hoosiers will face No. 9-seed Miami in the second round Monday. The Hurricanes rallied from a 17-point deficit to down No. 8-seed Oklahoma State, 62-61. Start time and television information have not been announced.

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana women's basketball beats Tennessee Tech in NCAAw first round