Indiana University Athletics
Sophomore Duo Leads IU’s Emergence
2/26/2016 11:43:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BLOOMINTON, Ind. - Teri Moren leans heavily on sophomores Tyra Buss and Amanda Cahill. She won't hide it.
Buss, IU's point guard, jokes she's practically forgotten what a break feels like by now. For 37.5 minutes per game, she orchestrates Indiana's offense as both the primary ball handler and leading scorer while chasing around opposing point guards on defense.
Cahill, who teammates call the most consistent player on the team, has nine double-doubles while averaging 30.4 minutes per game in the post. She's quietly anchored the Hoosiers in the paint throughout the season.
"Every great team has a combination, a terrific combination of a point guard and a low post presence," Moren said. "We're lucky enough to have that."
The sophomore duo's emergence has coincided with one of the most successful seasons in program history.
Heading into the final weekend of play, the Hoosiers could finish as high as third place in the Big Ten and as low as fifth. With a win Saturday against Penn State at Assembly Hall, Indiana would complete its first undefeated season at home in the program's history.
"That's obviously been something that's been a goal of ours is to be a team in this league that's making a difference," Cahill said. "It's kind of cool having this last game mean something."
Credit Buss and Cahill for making that happen.
In her first year leading the point, Buss leads Indiana with 19.1 points, 4.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. After playing on and off the ball as a freshman, Moren put the keys to Indiana's offense in Buss' hands during the offseason and has let her go.
Meanwhile, Cahill is averaging 14.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game as IU's primary post option. The Hoosiers' offense was overhauled during the summer, in part, to create more situations where Cahill has the ball in her hands and room to work.
Near the end of games and in tight situations, Buss and Cahill know their numbers will be called. More often than not, they've been able to get the job done.
"Just having more experience helps," Buss said. "We do our best to get other players open shots, but whenever we need to make plays, I think coach really relies on me and Amanda to make the smart play and really take over."
While having a dynamic point guard-forward combination isn't uncommon, especially in the Big Ten, Moren said what makes Buss and Cahill as dangerous as they are is their friendship. The self-described best friends and roommates, the duo finds themselves talking basketball even when they're at home away from practice.
When they're on the floor together—and that's often—Moren said they've got an uncanny sense for where one another is. They know one another's strengths and weaknesses and use them to exploit opposing defenses as best they can.
"They're obviously best friends," Moren said. "They kind of have a connection on the floor in terms of finding each other and playing well with each other."
Buss and Cahill's friendship allows them to throw a few playful jabs at one another when they can.
Not long ago, Buss joked that she'd have to make Cahill sign a contract that she wouldn't foul out of games. When Cahill's off the floor, Indiana's offense runs a cylinder short and makes Buss' job that much harder.
"Some of them are dumb fouls, she knows that," Buss said Thursday. Cahill, standing nearby, overheard and laughed, a little shocked at Buss' brutal honesty.
"I'm just kidding," Buss assured her.
Buss and Cahill have been gone through a coaching change before they even stepped on campus, a system overhaul last summer and now find themselves in the NCAA Tournament hunt. They've laid the foundation where they hope to continue being a Big Ten contender for the remainder of their careers.
And through it all, they've done it together.
"She's definitely one of my best friends," Cahill said. "I think it makes it more special."
Buss, IU's point guard, jokes she's practically forgotten what a break feels like by now. For 37.5 minutes per game, she orchestrates Indiana's offense as both the primary ball handler and leading scorer while chasing around opposing point guards on defense.
Cahill, who teammates call the most consistent player on the team, has nine double-doubles while averaging 30.4 minutes per game in the post. She's quietly anchored the Hoosiers in the paint throughout the season.
"Every great team has a combination, a terrific combination of a point guard and a low post presence," Moren said. "We're lucky enough to have that."
The sophomore duo's emergence has coincided with one of the most successful seasons in program history.
Heading into the final weekend of play, the Hoosiers could finish as high as third place in the Big Ten and as low as fifth. With a win Saturday against Penn State at Assembly Hall, Indiana would complete its first undefeated season at home in the program's history.
"That's obviously been something that's been a goal of ours is to be a team in this league that's making a difference," Cahill said. "It's kind of cool having this last game mean something."
Credit Buss and Cahill for making that happen.
In her first year leading the point, Buss leads Indiana with 19.1 points, 4.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. After playing on and off the ball as a freshman, Moren put the keys to Indiana's offense in Buss' hands during the offseason and has let her go.
Meanwhile, Cahill is averaging 14.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game as IU's primary post option. The Hoosiers' offense was overhauled during the summer, in part, to create more situations where Cahill has the ball in her hands and room to work.
Near the end of games and in tight situations, Buss and Cahill know their numbers will be called. More often than not, they've been able to get the job done.
"Just having more experience helps," Buss said. "We do our best to get other players open shots, but whenever we need to make plays, I think coach really relies on me and Amanda to make the smart play and really take over."
While having a dynamic point guard-forward combination isn't uncommon, especially in the Big Ten, Moren said what makes Buss and Cahill as dangerous as they are is their friendship. The self-described best friends and roommates, the duo finds themselves talking basketball even when they're at home away from practice.
When they're on the floor together—and that's often—Moren said they've got an uncanny sense for where one another is. They know one another's strengths and weaknesses and use them to exploit opposing defenses as best they can.
"They're obviously best friends," Moren said. "They kind of have a connection on the floor in terms of finding each other and playing well with each other."
Buss and Cahill's friendship allows them to throw a few playful jabs at one another when they can.
Not long ago, Buss joked that she'd have to make Cahill sign a contract that she wouldn't foul out of games. When Cahill's off the floor, Indiana's offense runs a cylinder short and makes Buss' job that much harder.
"Some of them are dumb fouls, she knows that," Buss said Thursday. Cahill, standing nearby, overheard and laughed, a little shocked at Buss' brutal honesty.
"I'm just kidding," Buss assured her.
Buss and Cahill have been gone through a coaching change before they even stepped on campus, a system overhaul last summer and now find themselves in the NCAA Tournament hunt. They've laid the foundation where they hope to continue being a Big Ten contender for the remainder of their careers.
And through it all, they've done it together.
"She's definitely one of my best friends," Cahill said. "I think it makes it more special."
Players Mentioned
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