Preview: Struggling Catamounts Face Tall Task at Indiana BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Sunday at Assembly Hall when the Indiana Hoosiers host the Western Carolina Catamounts in a nonconference women’s basketball matchup. Indiana (10-2) enters the contest riding high, having won eight of its last nine games and establishing itself as a national contender. Western Carolina (2-10) seeks to halt a seven-game losing skid in one of the most daunting road environments in the sport. The Hoosiers are led by the explosive scoring of guard Shay Ciezki, who is averaging 27.2 points over her last five games. She dropped 31 points in a 98-54 rout of Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 11 and followed with 25 in a 74-67 win over Eastern Michigan last Sunday. Ciezki’s backcourt partnership with Lenée Beaumont (15 points, five rebounds, four assists against EMU) provides a potent one-two punch. Western Carolina will counter with guard Ally Hollifield, its most consistent performer during the slide. Hollifield is coming off a 13-point, four-assist effort in a 77-62 loss at Gardner-Webb on Dec. 13 and has shown versatility, posting a 10-rebound, four-assist game against South Carolina Upstate on Dec. 3. The Catamounts have struggled offensively, failing to reach 65 points in any game during their losing streak. They face an Indiana defense that has held opponents to 53, 54, and 67 points in its three home wins this month. For Indiana, this game serves as a final tune-up before the rigors of Big Ten play begin Dec. 29 against Minnesota. The Hoosiers have dominated at home, winning all six contests in Bloomington by an average of 22.8 points. Western Carolina, a member of the Southern Conference, continues a brutal nonconference schedule that has already included road losses to Power Five opponents Clemson and Wake Forest, as well as a home defeat to a ranked Oklahoma team. The challenge at Assembly Hall, where Indiana boasts a 40-3 record over the past three seasons, may be its toughest yet. The Catamounts will need a near-perfect performance and a cooling of Ciezki’s hot hand to spring the monumental upset. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. EST Sunday.