Indiana University Athletics
Royster Working to Build Consistency
2/14/2016 10:34:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By: Tori Ziege, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Freshman forward Kym Royster's first season at Indiana has been a roller coaster.
She knew it. Head coach Teri Moren knew it. And before Indiana traveled to Illinois on Wednesday, the two sat down to discuss it.
With one-third of the conference schedule remaining, Moren told her first year forward that she wanted more consistent play.
Royster's response? Ten points and 10 rebounds in Champaign — her first career double-double.
"I think that message sunk in," Moren said. "It was her motivation."
Royster has shown flashes of brilliance while averaging just over 12 minutes per game in Big Ten play.
At Minnesota, she contributed a career-high 17 points in 17 minutes off the bench.
Against Rutgers, Moren praised her for defensive efforts in helping Indiana to contain 6-foot-4 center Rachel Hollivay in a 64-48 runaway win.
And at Illinois, Royster's 10 points came at a critical juncture in the third quarter, when the Hoosiers saw their lead over the last-place Illini cut to just five.
She converted two three-point plays after being fouled inside, boosting Indiana to its second conference road win and eighth conference win overall, the most since the 2008-09 season.
"That third quarter in Illinois, nothing was really clicking for us," Moren said. "She had three big plays going down the stretch in that third quarter when we needed something good to happen."
At other times this season, Royster's flashes have been snuffed out.
She's been held scoreless in seven games, typically as Indiana's first player off the bench as backup to junior center Jenn Anderson.
At 6-foot-2, she offers speed and athleticism to the five-spot, with the ability to be more mobile than the league's bigger centers. The Hoosiers are at their best when she is able to provide Anderson much-needed rest while still crashing the boards and creating the occasional scoring opportunity.
But there have been instances, Moren said, when she's had to sub Anderson back in more quickly than she's wanted to.
Royster believes that her performance at Illinois is the turning point.
"I think it's the start of consistency," she said. "We're getting toward the end, and I've seen what the Big Ten has to offer. I went into the game more focused and narrowed in on what I needed to do."
There are plenty of things Royster already does with consistency.
She plays with high energy and has been a force for Indiana on the boards, Moren said.
And if she can bring that consistency to her shooting and guarding, then it will be exactly what Indiana needs in the last five games of its regular season, starting today, when it welcomes Wisconsin to Assembly Hall.
"She needs to play every game like she played against Illinois, because we need that," sophomore guard Tyra Buss said.
"She's a freshman, but not really a freshman anymore."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Freshman forward Kym Royster's first season at Indiana has been a roller coaster.
She knew it. Head coach Teri Moren knew it. And before Indiana traveled to Illinois on Wednesday, the two sat down to discuss it.
With one-third of the conference schedule remaining, Moren told her first year forward that she wanted more consistent play.
Royster's response? Ten points and 10 rebounds in Champaign — her first career double-double.
"I think that message sunk in," Moren said. "It was her motivation."
Royster has shown flashes of brilliance while averaging just over 12 minutes per game in Big Ten play.
At Minnesota, she contributed a career-high 17 points in 17 minutes off the bench.
Against Rutgers, Moren praised her for defensive efforts in helping Indiana to contain 6-foot-4 center Rachel Hollivay in a 64-48 runaway win.
And at Illinois, Royster's 10 points came at a critical juncture in the third quarter, when the Hoosiers saw their lead over the last-place Illini cut to just five.
She converted two three-point plays after being fouled inside, boosting Indiana to its second conference road win and eighth conference win overall, the most since the 2008-09 season.
"That third quarter in Illinois, nothing was really clicking for us," Moren said. "She had three big plays going down the stretch in that third quarter when we needed something good to happen."
At other times this season, Royster's flashes have been snuffed out.
She's been held scoreless in seven games, typically as Indiana's first player off the bench as backup to junior center Jenn Anderson.
At 6-foot-2, she offers speed and athleticism to the five-spot, with the ability to be more mobile than the league's bigger centers. The Hoosiers are at their best when she is able to provide Anderson much-needed rest while still crashing the boards and creating the occasional scoring opportunity.
But there have been instances, Moren said, when she's had to sub Anderson back in more quickly than she's wanted to.
Royster believes that her performance at Illinois is the turning point.
"I think it's the start of consistency," she said. "We're getting toward the end, and I've seen what the Big Ten has to offer. I went into the game more focused and narrowed in on what I needed to do."
There are plenty of things Royster already does with consistency.
She plays with high energy and has been a force for Indiana on the boards, Moren said.
And if she can bring that consistency to her shooting and guarding, then it will be exactly what Indiana needs in the last five games of its regular season, starting today, when it welcomes Wisconsin to Assembly Hall.
"She needs to play every game like she played against Illinois, because we need that," sophomore guard Tyra Buss said.
"She's a freshman, but not really a freshman anymore."
Players Mentioned
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