Indiana University Athletics
Anderson Not Letting Injuries Slow Her Down
2/9/2016 11:56:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Make no doubt about it, Jenn Anderson is hurting.
Her junior season began with missed practice time from a combination of lower back pain and sickness. Within the last month, she's added a broken finger and a sore right shoulder to her growing injury report that's left her limited in practice.
Anderson has pushed through the pain. She had to, really.
Indiana's most experienced true post wasn't about to let the discomfort keep her off the floor.
"It's rewarding that I can still play through the pain and nagging injuries," she said. "Yeah, it's not perfect, but I'm still producing and doing what I need to do for this team."
A fractured middle finger on Anderson's left hand is the most obvious damage. She hardly noticed it when she broke it a month ago during Indiana's road game against Purdue and figured she had jammed it.
When the Hoosiers' trainers recommended she take a visit to the hospital the next day, the doctor said there wasn't much he could do to help. It was fractured and would require a surgery Anderson opted to push off to the end of the season.
Anderson quickly began a trial-by-fire crash course in playing with two of her left fingers taped together. The fortunate part was the injury happened on her non-shooting hand, but she said she's had to adjust the way she grips the ball and takes left-handed layups.
Compounded with a shoulder injury she suffered just last week, Moren said Anderson has plenty of reason to make excuses.
She just hasn't.
"We don't do any building excuses around our program," head coach Teri Moren said. "Right now, she's being limited because she is all right handed and just doesn't look comfortable."
Even so, Anderson hasn't missed any of Indiana's 24 games and averages 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game. The latter two are on pace to be career-best season marks should she continue to play at the pace she's been at.
Since the start of the Big Ten season, Anderson has set single-game career high in rebounds (11 against Michigan) and scored a season-high 18 points against Iowa. But teammates say the things Anderson does best aren't kept on the scoresheet.
"She does the dirty work for us," junior guard Alexis Gassion said. "She's tough, draws charges and when she's not getting rebounds, she's blocking out for one of us to go get them and start the break. We really need that from her."
Anderson's most complete season to date is coming in a transitional year for Indiana's post. She's mentoring the likes of freshmen Kym Royster and Danielle Williams knowing that she can't afford to get into foul trouble because there's not much size on the roster behind her.
Before the season even began, Anderson said she dropped weight and added muscle mass to make getting up and down the floor easier. It's a change she deemed necessary if she was going to anchor the Hoosiers in the post in her final two seasons.
"The biggest thing I knew I had to do was getting into shape so I could do all they needed me to do," Anderson said. "I'm less tired now and playing with more energy even with the injuries. It's rewarding to know that my hard work in the offseason has paid off."
Anderson's commitment to getting into shape, mentoring Indiana's young posts and now playing through injuries reflects a growth in maturity, Moren said. And it comes at a welcome time for a young Hoosier team that doesn't have nearly as much experience as some of its Big Ten opponents.
So don't expect Anderson to take time off any time soon whether she's hurt or not.
She's found a way to manage so far.
"We need her," Moren said. "There's no question we need her."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Make no doubt about it, Jenn Anderson is hurting.
Her junior season began with missed practice time from a combination of lower back pain and sickness. Within the last month, she's added a broken finger and a sore right shoulder to her growing injury report that's left her limited in practice.
Anderson has pushed through the pain. She had to, really.
Indiana's most experienced true post wasn't about to let the discomfort keep her off the floor.
"It's rewarding that I can still play through the pain and nagging injuries," she said. "Yeah, it's not perfect, but I'm still producing and doing what I need to do for this team."
A fractured middle finger on Anderson's left hand is the most obvious damage. She hardly noticed it when she broke it a month ago during Indiana's road game against Purdue and figured she had jammed it.
When the Hoosiers' trainers recommended she take a visit to the hospital the next day, the doctor said there wasn't much he could do to help. It was fractured and would require a surgery Anderson opted to push off to the end of the season.
Anderson quickly began a trial-by-fire crash course in playing with two of her left fingers taped together. The fortunate part was the injury happened on her non-shooting hand, but she said she's had to adjust the way she grips the ball and takes left-handed layups.
Compounded with a shoulder injury she suffered just last week, Moren said Anderson has plenty of reason to make excuses.
She just hasn't.
"We don't do any building excuses around our program," head coach Teri Moren said. "Right now, she's being limited because she is all right handed and just doesn't look comfortable."
Even so, Anderson hasn't missed any of Indiana's 24 games and averages 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game. The latter two are on pace to be career-best season marks should she continue to play at the pace she's been at.
Since the start of the Big Ten season, Anderson has set single-game career high in rebounds (11 against Michigan) and scored a season-high 18 points against Iowa. But teammates say the things Anderson does best aren't kept on the scoresheet.
"She does the dirty work for us," junior guard Alexis Gassion said. "She's tough, draws charges and when she's not getting rebounds, she's blocking out for one of us to go get them and start the break. We really need that from her."
Anderson's most complete season to date is coming in a transitional year for Indiana's post. She's mentoring the likes of freshmen Kym Royster and Danielle Williams knowing that she can't afford to get into foul trouble because there's not much size on the roster behind her.
Before the season even began, Anderson said she dropped weight and added muscle mass to make getting up and down the floor easier. It's a change she deemed necessary if she was going to anchor the Hoosiers in the post in her final two seasons.
"The biggest thing I knew I had to do was getting into shape so I could do all they needed me to do," Anderson said. "I'm less tired now and playing with more energy even with the injuries. It's rewarding to know that my hard work in the offseason has paid off."
Anderson's commitment to getting into shape, mentoring Indiana's young posts and now playing through injuries reflects a growth in maturity, Moren said. And it comes at a welcome time for a young Hoosier team that doesn't have nearly as much experience as some of its Big Ten opponents.
So don't expect Anderson to take time off any time soon whether she's hurt or not.
She's found a way to manage so far.
"We need her," Moren said. "There's no question we need her."
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