Indiana University Athletics
McBride Heating Up As Indiana’s “Microwave”
1/23/2016 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Karlee McBride doesn't hesitate much, if at all.
When the open shot is there, the junior guard takes it. It doesn't normally matter where she is. As long as her feet are set and there isn't a hand in front of her, she'll let the ball fly.
McBride's play reflects a high level of confidence in her own shooting ability that has head coach Teri Moren calling her the team's "Microwave" because of her ability to heat up quickly and score in bunches.
"There are some moments where she didn't get up and down the floor. She caught it and it was out of her hands," Moren said. "But that's what she gives us. We don't want her to lose her patience, but that's what she does well."
"Patience" has been a key trait for McBride, despite the little time she wastes finding a shot on the floor.
She's managed evolving roles throughout her three seasons in Bloomington, never having time to get comfortable with one particular job. For now, she's slotted into the third guard spot in Indiana's starting lineup, where she's averaged 11.6 points per game over three starts, nearly double her season average.
"It's her resilience," Moren said. "It's her patience paying off. It's her buying into her communicating and talking and realizing how important that it is to me and our staff and bringing that consistency, and that's why she got into the lineup."
Though new to the starting lineup, McBride said the transition has been seamless because she's not doing anything differently.
She's still looking for her shots and trying to be the instant offense she's been off the bench, only a little earlier.
Case in point, McBride scored Indiana's first eight points in a little over two minutes during the Hoosiers' 68-66 win against Illinois Wednesday night. Later, she hit what proved to be the game-winning 3-pointer with 76 seconds left to help IU remain undefeated at Assembly hall.
"Coming off and scoring is definitely still my role, whether it be off the bench or starting," McBride said. "I think just going out there and being able to get the first shots up helps me get my game going a lot quicker."
And once it gets going, Moren said it's hard to predict when it's going to stop.
"When she sees it going through, there's a specialness about her," Moren said, "because she can fill up the stat sheet pretty quick."
Though McBride's scoring garner's the bulk of the attention in the scoresheet, Moren said it's her defense that helps separate her from other pure scorers. That's especially true when Indiana drops into a zone, where McBride's instincts take over in filling the passing lanes and helping her teammates create stops.
"She has a really high basketball IQ," Moren said. "She can see and sense the sets that you're going through in practice and kind of talk her way, as well as her teammates way, through that defensively, which is special."
McBride's improvement on the defensive end of the floor reflects a season-long commitment to becoming a more all-around player. Before the season, she made becoming one of Indiana's most consistent defenders a priority and is still working on getting there.
And it all starts with talking.
"Being loud in practice definitely come natural to me, and it's something you need when we're playing defense," McBride said. "So I'm making sure I'm being loud and everyone's hands are up. We're a lot better that way, so I definitely take pride in that because it makes my team better."
McBride's starting spot isn't set in stone with fellow junior Tyshee Towner and sophomore Jess Walter both with starts of their own this season. McBride said she could just as easily return to the bench Sunday afternoon when Indiana (11-8, 3-4) takes on Northwestern (13-6, 2-5) in Evanston, Illinois.
Whenever she enters the game and for how long, Moren's advice won't change.
"Keep shooting."
It's what McBride does.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Karlee McBride doesn't hesitate much, if at all.
When the open shot is there, the junior guard takes it. It doesn't normally matter where she is. As long as her feet are set and there isn't a hand in front of her, she'll let the ball fly.
McBride's play reflects a high level of confidence in her own shooting ability that has head coach Teri Moren calling her the team's "Microwave" because of her ability to heat up quickly and score in bunches.
"There are some moments where she didn't get up and down the floor. She caught it and it was out of her hands," Moren said. "But that's what she gives us. We don't want her to lose her patience, but that's what she does well."
"Patience" has been a key trait for McBride, despite the little time she wastes finding a shot on the floor.
She's managed evolving roles throughout her three seasons in Bloomington, never having time to get comfortable with one particular job. For now, she's slotted into the third guard spot in Indiana's starting lineup, where she's averaged 11.6 points per game over three starts, nearly double her season average.
"It's her resilience," Moren said. "It's her patience paying off. It's her buying into her communicating and talking and realizing how important that it is to me and our staff and bringing that consistency, and that's why she got into the lineup."
Though new to the starting lineup, McBride said the transition has been seamless because she's not doing anything differently.
She's still looking for her shots and trying to be the instant offense she's been off the bench, only a little earlier.
Case in point, McBride scored Indiana's first eight points in a little over two minutes during the Hoosiers' 68-66 win against Illinois Wednesday night. Later, she hit what proved to be the game-winning 3-pointer with 76 seconds left to help IU remain undefeated at Assembly hall.
"Coming off and scoring is definitely still my role, whether it be off the bench or starting," McBride said. "I think just going out there and being able to get the first shots up helps me get my game going a lot quicker."
And once it gets going, Moren said it's hard to predict when it's going to stop.
"When she sees it going through, there's a specialness about her," Moren said, "because she can fill up the stat sheet pretty quick."
Though McBride's scoring garner's the bulk of the attention in the scoresheet, Moren said it's her defense that helps separate her from other pure scorers. That's especially true when Indiana drops into a zone, where McBride's instincts take over in filling the passing lanes and helping her teammates create stops.
"She has a really high basketball IQ," Moren said. "She can see and sense the sets that you're going through in practice and kind of talk her way, as well as her teammates way, through that defensively, which is special."
McBride's improvement on the defensive end of the floor reflects a season-long commitment to becoming a more all-around player. Before the season, she made becoming one of Indiana's most consistent defenders a priority and is still working on getting there.
And it all starts with talking.
"Being loud in practice definitely come natural to me, and it's something you need when we're playing defense," McBride said. "So I'm making sure I'm being loud and everyone's hands are up. We're a lot better that way, so I definitely take pride in that because it makes my team better."
McBride's starting spot isn't set in stone with fellow junior Tyshee Towner and sophomore Jess Walter both with starts of their own this season. McBride said she could just as easily return to the bench Sunday afternoon when Indiana (11-8, 3-4) takes on Northwestern (13-6, 2-5) in Evanston, Illinois.
Whenever she enters the game and for how long, Moren's advice won't change.
"Keep shooting."
It's what McBride does.
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