Indiana University Athletics
Patience and Passion – IU Women’s Basketball Growing On The Job
11/28/2017 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Freshmen aren't leading the way. Not for the Indiana women's basketball team. Not with veterans Tyra Buss, Amanda Cahill and Kym Royster around.
Still, newcomers Jaelynn Penn, Bendu Yeaney, Keyanna Warthen, Linsey Marchese and Alexis Johnson are making significant impact beyond their years for the 4-2 Hoosiers.
And when IU meets No. 4 Louisville on Thursday night in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, that youthful impact will have to continue.
There are, after all, only two seniors (Buss and Cahill) on the roster.
In other words, coach Teri Moren must tolerate growing pains -- to a point.
"It's patience and passion," she says. "I have to be passionate about what I believe in and what I know is right and doing what I can to help make them successful.
"There's a level of patience you have to have, but they know when I expect them to make better decisions. My tone changes.
"I'm passionate and that comes out in my tone when I'm on them hard. Sometimes I have to stop myself and think, 'She doesn't know what she doesn't know yet.'
"We remind each other as a staff that they do a lot of good things. You can't lose sight of that. They show up every day wanting to be coached. As long as they do that, we'll be fine. I have great expectations. I expect them to live up to those expectations every day. "
Penn, a 5-10 guard, has started all six games. She averages 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Yeaney, also a 5-10 guard, averages 9.2 points and 4.0 rebounds. Warthen, yet another 5-10 guard, is at 5.2 and 3.2.
Marchese and Johnson get more limited playing time, and their numbers show it. Johnson averages 2.0 points a game. Marchese is at 1.0.
Limited or not, they all make a difference, Moren says.
"They're extremely talented, but they all have to grow up fast. They will all (continue) to get a ton of time and opportunity to play."
Moren has kept her preseason promise to "put them in the fire from the beginning and see how they respond."
"There's no substitute for experience. There will be challenging moments and days for them. They've been the best on their high school teams. They come here and they've seen failure. It's frustrating for them.
"They have a big opportunity to grow as players and as people. I'm excited to see the growth they'll make from the beginning of the season to the end."
Growth will get a big Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall test from Louisville (6-0). And while Buss (22.7 points), Cahill (12.7 points, 10.2 rebounds) and Royster (13.0, 8.0) will lead the way, the freshmen will get difference-making opportunities.
They've earned them.
"They're all extremely coachable," Moren says. "That's what they've shown. We've had growing pains. You don't want them to lose confidence or give in to not feeling that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's hard for them to see that when they're in the thick of it. You keep encouraging them.
"They have to get used to the pace, the tempo. That's what they'll tell you -- the game is sped up. They're trying to get a grasp of catch up, to play at this speed, to think at this speed, talk at this speed. All of that will come."
In fact, it's coming already.
"It's exciting for me to see them grow every day," Buss says. "They keep learning from their mistakes. They are very coachable, which makes it easier for me to be a leader. They listen and correct mistakes."
Adds Cahill: "There's a lot of teaching and making sure we're communicating well. That we know what our offensive and defensive strategies are.
"It's been easy because they're all hard workers."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Freshmen aren't leading the way. Not for the Indiana women's basketball team. Not with veterans Tyra Buss, Amanda Cahill and Kym Royster around.
Still, newcomers Jaelynn Penn, Bendu Yeaney, Keyanna Warthen, Linsey Marchese and Alexis Johnson are making significant impact beyond their years for the 4-2 Hoosiers.
And when IU meets No. 4 Louisville on Thursday night in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, that youthful impact will have to continue.
There are, after all, only two seniors (Buss and Cahill) on the roster.
In other words, coach Teri Moren must tolerate growing pains -- to a point.
"It's patience and passion," she says. "I have to be passionate about what I believe in and what I know is right and doing what I can to help make them successful.
"There's a level of patience you have to have, but they know when I expect them to make better decisions. My tone changes.
"I'm passionate and that comes out in my tone when I'm on them hard. Sometimes I have to stop myself and think, 'She doesn't know what she doesn't know yet.'
"We remind each other as a staff that they do a lot of good things. You can't lose sight of that. They show up every day wanting to be coached. As long as they do that, we'll be fine. I have great expectations. I expect them to live up to those expectations every day. "
Penn, a 5-10 guard, has started all six games. She averages 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Yeaney, also a 5-10 guard, averages 9.2 points and 4.0 rebounds. Warthen, yet another 5-10 guard, is at 5.2 and 3.2.
Marchese and Johnson get more limited playing time, and their numbers show it. Johnson averages 2.0 points a game. Marchese is at 1.0.
Limited or not, they all make a difference, Moren says.
"They're extremely talented, but they all have to grow up fast. They will all (continue) to get a ton of time and opportunity to play."
Moren has kept her preseason promise to "put them in the fire from the beginning and see how they respond."
"There's no substitute for experience. There will be challenging moments and days for them. They've been the best on their high school teams. They come here and they've seen failure. It's frustrating for them.
"They have a big opportunity to grow as players and as people. I'm excited to see the growth they'll make from the beginning of the season to the end."
Growth will get a big Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall test from Louisville (6-0). And while Buss (22.7 points), Cahill (12.7 points, 10.2 rebounds) and Royster (13.0, 8.0) will lead the way, the freshmen will get difference-making opportunities.
They've earned them.
"They're all extremely coachable," Moren says. "That's what they've shown. We've had growing pains. You don't want them to lose confidence or give in to not feeling that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's hard for them to see that when they're in the thick of it. You keep encouraging them.
"They have to get used to the pace, the tempo. That's what they'll tell you -- the game is sped up. They're trying to get a grasp of catch up, to play at this speed, to think at this speed, talk at this speed. All of that will come."
In fact, it's coming already.
"It's exciting for me to see them grow every day," Buss says. "They keep learning from their mistakes. They are very coachable, which makes it easier for me to be a leader. They listen and correct mistakes."
Adds Cahill: "There's a lot of teaching and making sure we're communicating well. That we know what our offensive and defensive strategies are.
"It's been easy because they're all hard workers."
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Center
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
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