March sadness: Utah women fall victim to Indiana in 1st round of NCAA Tournament

COLUMBIA, S.C. — It didn't take long for the game to change.

After playing to a tie at the halftime break in a game that featured 13 lead changes in the first half, No. 9 Indiana used an effective post game to flip the script.

The Hoosiers scored 18 points in the paint in the third quarter and built up a 9-point lead that eventually swelled to as much as 13 before the No. 8 Utes could get some traction.

Utah's Gianna Kneepkens hit a 3-pointer with one minute left in regulation to cut the deficit to 4, but it was too little, too late as Indiana staved off the comeback to earn a 76-68 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Utes couldn't get any shots to fall in the final minute against an Indiana defense that gave little room for a clean look.

Indiana finished the game shooting 58% from the field but shot an even more impressive 70% in the second half to overwhelm Utah. The Utes shot 43% from the field and only 64% from the free-throw line.

The Hoosiers topped Utah with a balanced scoring effort, with five players finishing in double-digit scoring. Yarden Garzon led Indiana with 17 points and seven rebounds, and Shay Ciezki added 16 points in the win.

Kneepkens finished with a game-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting, while Maye Toure added 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Neither Utah or Indiana could get much separation from one another in the first half until Utah used an 11-2 run in the second quarter to eventually built up a 6-point lead. Until that run, neither team led by more than 2 points and they traded baskets.

But Indiana made a late push to closeout the first half, which included Utah going five minutes without a bucket, to cut into the deficit and tie the game up at the halftime break.

That closing momentum of the first half gave Indiana all it needed for a second-half chance.

Utah had more 3-pointers than Indiana (9-5), but points in transition and the team's post play made all the difference in the end.

The loss officially ends Utah's season and a program-altering four-year stretch with a veteran unit that helped the school to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

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