BLOOMINGTON — Before Thursday night’s game, Indiana University officials gave Mackenzie Holmes a plaque commemorating her recently setting the IU women’s basketball scoring record.

They should have given her another one at game’s end after the Hoosiers turned what was a ballyhooed event into a significant victory, possibly shifting the balance of their postseason fortunes.

IU hosting the continuing Iowa-Caitlin Clark Women’s Basketball Tour accounted for the second Assembly Hall sellout of 17,222 fans in program history. There were staff reported sightings of ticket-holders without reserved seats lining up as early as 6 a.m., 9:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m. tip, much like a rock concert.

But in a game the No. 14-ranked Hoosiers desperately needed to enhance their national standing, they topped the No. 4-ranked Hawkeyes 86-69, contained the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and proved a recent annoying loss to Illinois was more fluke than true status of the team.

Just how important this payback to Iowa following an 86-66 loss on Monday was to the 22-4 Hoosiers cannot be stressed enough with the opportunity to play a home game in the NCAA tournament come March at stake.

“Huge,” said IU coach Teri Moren.

Besides the loss to the .500-ish Fighting Illini, the Hoosiers had been manhandled by Iowa (on Jan. 13), Ohio State and Stanford, three teams in the top five.

This was a contest to show the college basketball world how tough the Hoosiers could be against Iowa (23-4) and the 6-foot senior who over the last few months has become the new face of women’s college basketball.

Clark, who has been on the second-most publicized female tour lately to Taylor Swift, arrived in Bloomington as the first player to ever accumulate 3,000 points and 1,000 assists and new owner of the NCAA big-school scoring mark.

Between Monday’s loss, which Moren said left the team “a little bit embarrassed,” and Thursday, the Hoosiers rebuilt their psyche and defense to contain Clark, who was averaging just under 33 points per game.

On a day when the state of Iowa, her home, as well as her school declared it Caitlin Clark Day, it was not as if it could be said totaling 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists had a bad night. But Clark shot just 8-for-26, and IU’s defense stifled the rest of Iowa’s offense.

It was very much a statement game, shouting to poll voters and tournament selectors, “Don’t forget about us!”

“The past is the past, but it’s how you respond,” said Holmes, who scored 24 points, grabbed nine rebounds and played hounding one-on-one defense on Iowa center Hannah Stuelke (10 points).

This has been an intense rivalry in recent years with the “I” teams of the Big Ten Conference splitting last year and this year during the regular season. Offensively, Clark, renowned for her great range, was offset by IU guard Sara Scalia, owner of the Hoosier single-season three-point shooting record. Scalia put up 25 points, converting long jumpers, drives to the basket and going 8-for-8 on foul shots.

“We didn’t have an answer for Sara Scalia,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “They played a great game. They had a great game plan.”

IU needed a fresh approach after falling to the Hawkeyes 84-57 Jan. 13 and Clark on a scoring spree, which included a 49-point game recently.

“They were physical, face-guarding me and denying me the ball,” said Clark, who was gracious after the loss. “I thought we fought.”

Indiana led 23-22 after one quarter but 44-33 at the half and built margins in the 15-plus range in the second half, although the Hawkeyes briefly sliced the lead to eight.

Sophomore guard Yarden Garzon made big plays, scoring 15 points for IU. Also, for the first time in weeks, the Hoosiers were at full strength. Sydney Parrish, who missed seven games with a foot injury, made a cameo against Illinois but was a contributor versus Iowa, playing 29 minutes with seven points, six rebounds and three assists.

“That was a big key having Sydney back,” Holmes said. “It was huge for us.”

The game was announced as a sellout seven weeks ago, just the second time in program history. Fans were almost all decked out in white and were not shy about either booing Iowa and Clark or offering standing ovations to Indiana and Holmes.

A few days after the men’s team received negative reviews for wearing black jerseys with red numbers, the women dressed similarly. There seemed to be less backlash for the women, perhaps because they won while the men played poorly.

“When we have a crowd like that, I can’t really explain the feeling,” Holmes said of the wildly supportive fans. “Hoosier nation stood up for us in a big way.”

Clark even praised the atmosphere as a “great place” to play basketball, even with the boos.

Moren said “Wow!” describing the crowd and the Hoosier defense, indicating the D’s intensity and effort was the big change from the upset loss to Illinois.

She admitted it was a tremendously important game for IU as the league tournament and NCAAs loom.

“I think we had to have this win tonight to help us with our résumé,” Moren said.

That résumé will shine just a little bit brighter now in catching the eye.