Quinnipiac amped up to host fourth-ranked Indiana
Quinnipiac women’s basketball coach Tricia Fabbri is willing to play almost anyone, anywhere most years.
With COVID-19, this isn’t most years.
“We still weren’t sure what our schedule was going to predominantly look like when it was done because of COVID,” Fabbri said Wednesday. “Still no flights. And we’re staying primarily along the I-95 corridor.”
There are a few long bus rides planned, including trips to Washington, D.C., (George Washington) and upstate New York (Canisius and Niagara), but for the most part, Quinnipiac’s schedule is packed with schools within a few hours radius.
And then there’s Indiana — an outlier in more ways than one.
The Hoosiers, who will be in Hamden Saturday (4 p.m., ESPN3) for the Bobcats home opener, came in at No. 4 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.
“We’re going to get a lot of good on Saturday,” Fabbri said.
No kidding. Indiana, a preseason Final Four contender, will be the highestranked opponent to play at Quinnipiac in school history. The only other time the Bobcats hosted someone from the Big Ten was Dec. 6, 2016, when No. 22 Michigan State won 71-54.
“They’ve been fun to follow,” Fabbri said. “They’re as fundamental and explosive a team we’re going to go up against all
season. It’s a program that’s taken the necessary steps along the way. They’re just so solid, so team-oriented.
“It’s going to be an incredible experience for us to see that.”
How, you might be wondering, did Indiana end up on the schedule? It obviously wasn’t a coincidence.
“It was September,” Fabbri said. “We were still looking for a game and they were looking for a game. This is the time of year to schedule these types of games, so why not?”
Indiana, according to Fabbri, also wanted to give junior Mackenzie Holmes, an All-Big Ten forward
from Maine, an opportunity to play closer to home.
“It’s sort of a homecoming where they can get their family down with a car, not necessarily a flight,” Fabbri said. “And there was a willingness to start a homeand-home. It’s hard for them to schedule games as well. We’ll head out there next November.”
With all five starters back from last year’s Elite Eight run, the Hoosiers debuted at No. 8 in the AP preseason poll — the school’s highest ranking in school history. Since then? They’re 3-0, with a signature win over No. 13 Kentucky.
And the Bobcats? The MAAC favorites split their first two games, losing in overtime to Fordham and beating Central Connecticut State, before Thursday’s visit to Army.
On paper, it’s a colossal mismatch. But Fabbri, having built Quinnipiac into one of the country’s better mid-majors, sure doesn’t mind.
“It shows a little tip of the cap that this is a pretty respectable program,” Fabbri said of Indiana agreeing to play. “Let’s see what we can do.”