IU's Sydney Parrish breaks out of funk: 'A lot of shooters just need to see one go in.'
Sydney Parrish was due to break out of her funk.
The IU women’s basketball senior has been struggling to make shots, especially beyond the arc, as the Hoosiers went through their nonconference schedule — she only shot 29% from the 3-point line (16-of-55) from the start of the season until Jan. 4.
In her past two games against Michigan and Nebraska, she has shot 89% (8-of-9).
Throughout her shooting woes, though, Parrish never lost confidence in herself — because her team never lost confidence in her.
“I don't know if anything's really changed, I think just the confidence that coach and my team has in my shot and being able to just keep shooting because they had so much confidence in me that it'll eventually go down,” Parrish said. “Seeing a couple go down last game against Michigan, I think that really, a lot of shooters just need to see one go in and then it'll propel you for the next game.”
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Parrish’s true threat from 3 started Thursday against Michigan, where she made her first five shots from the field, including three beyond the arc, for 14 points to lead the Hoosiers to a perfect 13-for-13 shooting mark in the first quarter. While she didn’t score after that first quarter because of foul trouble, her newfound 3-point shooting prowess held on the road.
The Oregon transfer made each of her first five attempts from beyond the arc against Nebraska on Sunday afternoon, silencing the 9,000 Husker fans with each swish. Her 20 points on the night included 12 in the first quarter, which came from four 3-pointers.
Parrish finished the game with six made 3s, one off her career high, which she set against California in January 2022.
"Syd was just finding herself open," IU coach Teri Moren said. "One of the things that I think that this group in particular does a great job of is finding each other, and finding each other when they feel like someone has the hot hand."
Parrish’s hot hand translated to her teammates, as well. Senior Sara Scalia joined Parrish in silencing the Pinnacle Bank Arena crowd in the third quarter, sinking a 3-pointer to put the Hoosiers up by 10 points.
Overall, the Hoosiers shot 14-for-23 from beyond the arc Sunday afternoon. Parrish was 6-of-7, while Scalia made 5-of-10.
“We’ve got great shooters on this basketball team,” Moren said. “We have so much confidence in all of them.I think they're all independently confident shooters, but I think as a team, because they're so connected, all about each other, that once you know you see one of those go in I think it can be contagious for your team.”
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Having Parrish consistently shoot well from the 3-point line will open up another world of problems for the Hoosiers’ opponents. IU already has an established 3-point sniper in Scalia — who is leading the team with a 45.8% beyond the arc — and another deep threat in Yarden Garzon’s 43% mark.
Parrish’s 3-point shot will force defenses to open up even more. A third 3-point shooter, paired with Mackenzie Holmes’ threat in the paint, will wreak havoc on defenses, and the Hoosiers can easily use that to their advantage.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Sydney Parrish breaks out of funk, leads IU women to win over Nebraska
