Balanced effort helps Indiana pull off NC State, securing its first berth in Elite Eight women’s basketball

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20:37 ET

  • Mechelle VoepelESPN.com

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      Mechelle Voepel covers the WNBA, women’s college basketball and other college sports for spnW. Voepel started covering women’s basketball in 1984 and has been with ESPN since 1996.

SAN ANTONIO – The No. 1 seed in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament lost as No. 4 Indiana defeated NC State 73-70 in the semifinals in the Mercado region on Saturday, giving the Hoosiers their first trip to Elite Eight.

Indiana had been to Sweet 16 once before, in 1983, the second year of the NCAA Women’s Tournament, when the field was only 36 teams away and the Hoosiers had to win just one game to reach the regional semifinals.

Indiana had all five starters who finished in double figures on Saturday, led by Ali Patberg with 17 points.

The Hoosiers finished second in the Big Ten regular season standings against Maryland, the No. 2 seed in the Hemisfair region, who will play in Sweet 16 vs. Sunday. Texas. But Indiana was upset in the Michigan State conference tour before coming to San Antonio and winning against VCU, Belmont and NC State. This is Indiana’s seventh trip to the NCAA tournament and is their third under coach Teri Moren.

Wolfpack was left without the main holder Kayla Jones, who suffered a knee injury in the victory in the first round and did not return. NC State was the ACC tournament champion and had victories this season against No-then. 1 South Carolina in December and then-no. 1 Louisville in February.

Indiana won despite making only 2 of 14 attempts from 3 points, compared to nine 3 points from NC State.

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