BLOOMINGTON — Stage plays and sporting events are both kinds of theater, the main difference being that one is scripted and one is not.

On Saturday, it only took the Indiana University women’s basketball team barely more than a quarter to bleed the drama out of its NCAA first-round showdown against Tennessee Tech.

With Grace Berger in the role of best actress and Lilly Meister as the best supporting actress, the Hoosiers let the champions of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament believe in miracles for about 13 1/2 minutes, then put on a show for the fans at Assembly Hall.

The 77-47 victory propelled IU into a second-round game 8 p.m. today — also at home — against Miami of Florida (20-12) of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Hurricanes bested Oklahoma State (21-12) 62-61, also Saturday in Bloomington, to advance.

As the No. 1 seed in the Greenville 2 region and as the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, the Hoosiers lived up to their notices. That was even without 6-foot-3 leading scorer Mackenzie Holmes, who rested on the bench due to knee soreness.

Holmes, a first-team All-American, has been nursing the problem since the Big Ten tournament two weeks ago but could have played in an emergency. She and coach Teri Moren said she is likely to play today.

Although Tennessee Tech (23-10), which last appeared in the NCAAs in 2000, came out firing three-pointers and led 22-20 in the second quarter, there was a prevailing feeling of “Have no fear, Grace is here.”

Berger, a 6-foot graduate student guard who is capping her IU star turn career in this event, performed with a special fierceness. She scored (17 points), distributed (four assists), retrieved (seven rebounds) and unusual for her, blocked three shots, including two on back-to-back plays.

Not to suggest this is not Berger behavior every game, Moren noted Berger played with a particular sense of “moxie.” The definition of moxie is “courage,” but it is more of a you-know-it-when-you-see-it description.

After that somewhat uneven start, the Hoosiers (28-3) exploded on a 17-0 run that gave them control. Running the court hard, making the type of textbook passes that Moren diagrams on her whiteboard, IU energized the crowd and demoralized Tech.

“We’ll give up a good shot for a great shot,” Moren said. “This is a team that is unselfish, that is balanced. This is a team that will share the ball.”

Forward Sydney Parrish scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Guard Yarden Garzon added 12 points. Overall, IU was credited with 18 assists. Not as evident in the box score were contributions by guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, who jump-started the Hoosiers’ defense.

After Tech hung close by making long-range shots, Moore-McNeil and Berger provided a pep talk to teammates about clamping down. They were the magic words.

“She was mad,” said Moren, who is from Seymour. “As we say in southern Indiana, madder than a hornet.”

As for Holmes sitting out, this was somewhat planned, if not publicly stated, until game day. Not even freshman Meister, of Rochester, Minnesota, knew she was about to start the first game of her college career. She recorded seven points, four rebounds and three blocks. Alyssa Geary also played key minutes in the low post with three points and three rebounds.

Holmes started all previous 30 games. Meister has averaged 6.6 minutes of playing time. Meister seemed neither overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment nor her responsibilities.

“The whole season, my role has been different every game,” Meister said. “This is the best atmosphere ever.”

Moren said even though Holmes is the headliner, she knew she could rely on Meister and senior Geary, and the younger Meister has improved steadily.

“I’m not surprised by Lilly,” Moren said. “She was ready for this moment.”

Although guard Maalyia Owens scored 17 points, no one else from Tech was in double figures, and the team shot just 27.7%, indicating IU’s defense got serious.

“If you’re going to get past a great team like Indiana, the ball has to go through the hole,” said Tech coach Kim Rosamond.

The Hoosiers reached the Sweet Sixteen last year and the Elite Eight the season before. Miami represents the next obstacle to prevent Indiana from making it to the Final Four in Dallas, or winning it all. Moren said Berger brought even more urgency than usual to the table, but Berger was nonchalant in her summary, suggesting the moxie was to be expected.

“It’s the NCAAs,” Berger said. “It’s win-or-go-home. We’re on the biggest stage. That’s where we want to be.”

Lew Freedman writes sports columns for The Tribune. Send comments to [email protected].