BLOOMINGTON — Most games this season, IU’s third-quarter starts weren’t working. The Hoosiers were coming out too sluggish, too static. The defense lapsed, and the offense was stagnant.

It showed in their losses: Against Ohio State, IU only scored 10 points in the third quarter, allowing 23. Against Iowa, IU had just 11 points and allowed 22.

At some points, it even showed in the victories: IU scored 16 points against Maryland in the third quarter but allowed 29. It scored 12 points against Purdue, but allowed 17.

Nearly every game, win or lose, IU would lose the third quarter. After IU’s loss to Ohio State, it was too apparent to ignore.

“After the Ohio State game, I talked to (the players) about how right now, the Achilles heel is our third-quarter starts, so what can we do to change that? How can we help, whether it’s your focus, whether it’s getting you guys out early and getting you moving,” coach Teri Moren said. “Just to get them more focused on what we needed to do.”

The verdict? The Hoosiers sat too long in the locker room.

Senior center Mackenzie Holmes suggested spending less time in the locker room — they took too long to get there, leading to less time on the court to warm up after halftime.

So, in a game where the Hoosiers desperately needed a third-quarter rally, they switched up their halftime routine. They set a strict four-minute timer to get back to the locker room, then spent 4 1/2 minutes talking.

“She wants to know what we think,” Holmes said. “It’s an open conversation, open communication. At the end of the day, though, if she has adjustments, the staff has adjustments that she wants to make, then we will make them, but we’re the ones out on the court so she trusts we can really see what’s going on out there.”

After that, it was back out to the floor with over seven minutes to spare.

“This is a team that’s mature, and anytime that you can collaborate, I tell them, ‘We’re all on the same team, let’s try to figure out how we can help each other,” Moren said. “They have a lot to say, and I’m OK with it, because I trust them.”

More: Leading for only seven minutes, IU women's basketball scrapes by Michigan State

The Hoosiers came into the second half against Michigan State down 10 points, with all of the momentum on the Spartans’ side after a last-second 3-pointer.

IU didn’t enter the third quarter on a lull this time — it was quite the opposite. The Hoosiers scored 23 points in the third quarter on 8-of-14 shooting, outscoring the Spartans by eight. Holmes scored 10 of her 28 points in the third, and Chloe Moore-McNeil had three rebounds and two assists — integral to her eventual first career triple-double.

It was also IU’s best quarter defensively, as it held MSU to 50% shooting (6-of-12) from the field.

IU rode that momentum into a hard-fought 94-91 win — one where the Hoosiers only led for 7 minutes. Sure, it could’ve been a coincidence. But IU's switch-up during halftime led to one of its best third quarters of the season, and it fixed something that has been plaguing the Hoosiers the entire year.

“I don’t know if that worked, but that’s something that we’re at least aware of,” Moren said. “We needed to change something. We’ll stick with it for now, and as we move on, I’ll talk to them about it again.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana women's basketball switches halftime routine in victory