On November 13, 2024, Indiana women’s basketball traveled to Indianapolis for a non-conference game against in-state opponent Butler. The Hoosiers shot 34 percent from the field and lost 56-46. All Lenee Beaumont could do was sit on Indiana’s bench and watch.
After a productive freshman season off the bench, Beaumont missed the entire sophomore season with a knee injury that ultimately required surgery. She couldn’t compete against the Bulldogs then, but she did on Wednesday night.
Beaumont’s team-high 21 points powered the Hoosiers to a 72-53 win in their rematch against Butler.
“I’ve been bitter,” Moren said after the game. “Very bitter about that loss in Indianapolis… very different from how I feel today with the group I have.”
Heading into the season, the most points Beaumont had scored in a single game in her collegiate career was 11. She had 19 points at halftime.
Her performance was impressive not only because of the points she scored, but also because of the way she scored them. Beaumont knocked down four of her five attempts from beyond the arc, routinely sank mid-range shots and effectively attacked the paint off the dribble.
With a 23-point performance against Florida State last time out, the sophomore continues to prove himself as a capable number one option for Moren.
“I definitely feel more confident the more we play,” Beaumont said. “I just needed to get my legs under me and get more comfortable.”
That confidence showed. Midway through the second quarter, Beaumont received the ball as the shot clock expired. Without hesitation, she launched a three-pointer from far beyond the arc and watched it sail off the backboard, roll around the rim and finally trickle through the net to beat the buzzer.
Beaumont couldn’t help but grin as she trotted back onto the defense.
“I’m having a lot of fun playing at the moment,” she said. “Honestly, just having fun with basketball.”
While it may feel like Beaumont burst onto the scene as a top scorer out of nowhere, it has been a long time coming. She recalled sitting with assistant coach Ali Patberg to watch film of former IU guard Grace Berger during her freshman year. According to Beaumont, she did so ‘religiously’.
It was then, as a wide-eyed freshman, that she noticed what made Berger an effective scorer: her ability to get to her favorite spots on the floor. Beaumont, a 6-foot-1 guard, used her size and physicality to produce the same end results that earned Berger All-Big Ten honors four straight seasons.
In addition to Beaumont’s offensive play, Moren noted other areas where she helped the team against Butler, including her defensive growth and leadership. The IU head coach recalled Beaumont’s presence in the meeting before the second quarter and challenged her teammates to continue playing with the same defensive intensity that saw them defeat the Bulldogs 23-7 in the opening frame.
Beaumont didn’t just lead her team in scoring; she also led it vocally. Her play since returning from injury is a product of her individual growth, but it is also a reflection of the culture Moren has built since taking over in 2014.
After the win – her 450th career victory to be exact – Moren had a chance to reflect on her time in Bloomington.
“When we got here 12 years ago, we felt like this was a place where we could build a program,” she said. “We were able to find players who were in line with what we value, the culture, the work ethic and the player development. And we were able to find players who fit with us.”
If Wednesday night was any indication, Beaumont is the next in the line of Hoosier guards who have blossomed under Moors. It’s almost poetic that Tyra Buss, the first great guard of Moren’s tenure, was there to see Beaumont fill that role.
From Buss to Berger and now Beaumont, Indiana’s backcourt continues to produce capable scorers. After losing a season due to injury, she has emerged not only as a confident shooter, but also as a dedicated defender and leader in the locker room.
Beaumont and the Hoosiers move to 5-0 with the win and will look to remain undefeated when they play Florida Gulf Coast next Tuesday in Fort Myers, Florida.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
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