Indiana University Athletics
Ultra-competitor – Tyra Buss proving hard work pays off for IU Women’s Basketball
11/3/2017 10:02:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
Challenge Tyra Buss and expect to pay.
It could be a basketball shooting contest, a board game, a card game, cornhole toss or anything else that comes to mind.
Understand this -- Indiana's All-Big Ten senior guard doesn't play nice. She's out to win, crush you if possible, and it's a big reason why she ranks among the greatest Hoosiers to ever play the sport.
"I'm competitive at anything," she says. "I don't like to lose. I hate losing more than I like winning."
Credit nature and nurture. Her mother, Kelly, is a high school track coach. A brother, Tyler, coaches high school basketball. Another brother, Kyle, coaches high school football. Her father, Tim, is a high school superintendent.
This is a family used to success, and it doesn't come from hoping for it.
"Growing up in a family of competitors, anything we played I wanted to win," Buss says. "We're all very competitive. It gets very heated around our family at Christmas or Thanksgiving or any holiday. We all like to win."
Buss flashes a take-no-prisoners smile at Cook Hall, IU's multi-million-dollar practice facility, where the lights are always on, and improvement is forever within reach.
A recent practice has just concluded, followed by an extra session where Buss worked on her shooting, which helps explain why she's on pace to break the school career scoring record.
Denise Jackson has it, with 1,920 points. Buss is at 1,601 entering her final season. Given she's topped 600 points in each of her last two seasons, the first IU women's player to ever do that, she could pass Jackson before February.
Buss also is positioned to set school records for assists, steals, free throws made and free throws attempted.
Is she satisfied?
Not a chance.
She continues to push herself because it's her nature – and another key to her success.
"I'm always nitpicking at myself. I did that growing up. My family and dad and brothers have always been hard on me when it comes to basketball. My mom was more of a runner so she focused on running workouts.
"They've always nitpicked at me. I've never come home after a game with just, 'Oh, you played great.' It would be, 'Oh, you played great, but …'
"They'd come with all the stuff I needed to work on."
Don't take this as family being mean or too demanding. Ultimate success comes from performing to your potential and, at times, just a little bit more. You have to push hard to do that.
Buss takes that approach and raises the stakes.
"I see that in myself when we watch film. I watch film a lot by myself or with coaches. Seeing stuff I need to work on. That motivates me to work harder and learn from my mistakes."
Buss has learned well.
A record-setting run at Mt. Carmel High School in Illinois included a pair of Illinois Miss Basketball awards, an 89-0 regular season tennis record, qualifying for the track state meet in the 800 meter run, the 300 and 100 hurdles, the 400 relay and the 1,600 relay, and lettering four years in cross country.
At IU Buss is an honorable mention All-America, a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a two-time academic all-conference performer. She has the school record with 59 straight double-figure scoring games. She's averaged 16.3 points for her career, with 128 three-pointers.
"I'm very confident as a scorer. That comes with work ethic. I practice it every day. I shoot extra. I get in the gym extra. That helps with that confidence. It's just reps after reps getting shots up. It's all muscle memory and being confident in myself."
The 5-8 Buss personifies versatility. She has 400 career assists, 390 career rebounds and 216 steals.
Yes, she plays defense.
"Tyra was not a good defender off the ball as a freshman," coach Teri Moren says. "She was good on the ball. To watch where she was then and is now as a defender is like night and day."
Credit hard work and coaching.
"I've always been good as an on-ball defender," Buss says, "but I've gotten back-cut sometimes. I've done a much better job defensively, talking defensively and keeping my head on a swivel. Seeing the ball and man. Being on help side defense, being in that gap so (opposing players) don't have direct drives and just being in that right position."
Buss and fellow senior Amanda Cahill -- also a returning all-conference player -- are the veterans on a young team (including five freshmen) full of potential. Strong veteran leadership is a top priority.
"It's scary and exciting," Buss says. "(The freshmen) are getting an opportunity to learn quickly. Coach is asking them to grow up fast. We'll need all of them to play with the short roster we have.
"I'm very comfortable being a leader. I've grown up doing it with all the sports I've done. Getting to the collegiate level it's hard to be a leader your first year.
"Amanda and I have grown into it. We've embraced that role."
IU has won 44 games in the last two seasons, making the NCAA tourney second round in 2016 and the WNIT quarterfinals last spring. The key to making a third straight postseason tourney, Buss says, is "Being confident and sticking together and believing in each other.
"I know we'll go through adversity. We'll go through growing pains, but as long as we stick together, have confidence in each other, have trust in each other, trust in the coaches and the coaches trust in us, we can achieve anything."
Buss has pro basketball aspirations -- "I want to continue playing as long as I can" -- and, beyond that, hopes to teach physical education at the middle school or high school level.
"I was born into a family of educators," she says. "I love working with children. I want to make a difference in their lives."
Afternoon turns to evening, and Cook Hall lights remain bright. Buss playfully bear hugs Moren from behind and lifts her off the floor. It's a player-coach bond not every program has, and it comes with the understanding that there remains much to do, challenges to face, competitions to win.
And if you try to stop Buss, expect to pay.
IUHoosiers.com
Challenge Tyra Buss and expect to pay.
It could be a basketball shooting contest, a board game, a card game, cornhole toss or anything else that comes to mind.
Understand this -- Indiana's All-Big Ten senior guard doesn't play nice. She's out to win, crush you if possible, and it's a big reason why she ranks among the greatest Hoosiers to ever play the sport.
"I'm competitive at anything," she says. "I don't like to lose. I hate losing more than I like winning."
Credit nature and nurture. Her mother, Kelly, is a high school track coach. A brother, Tyler, coaches high school basketball. Another brother, Kyle, coaches high school football. Her father, Tim, is a high school superintendent.
This is a family used to success, and it doesn't come from hoping for it.
"Growing up in a family of competitors, anything we played I wanted to win," Buss says. "We're all very competitive. It gets very heated around our family at Christmas or Thanksgiving or any holiday. We all like to win."
Buss flashes a take-no-prisoners smile at Cook Hall, IU's multi-million-dollar practice facility, where the lights are always on, and improvement is forever within reach.
A recent practice has just concluded, followed by an extra session where Buss worked on her shooting, which helps explain why she's on pace to break the school career scoring record.
Denise Jackson has it, with 1,920 points. Buss is at 1,601 entering her final season. Given she's topped 600 points in each of her last two seasons, the first IU women's player to ever do that, she could pass Jackson before February.
Buss also is positioned to set school records for assists, steals, free throws made and free throws attempted.
Is she satisfied?
Not a chance.
She continues to push herself because it's her nature – and another key to her success.
"I'm always nitpicking at myself. I did that growing up. My family and dad and brothers have always been hard on me when it comes to basketball. My mom was more of a runner so she focused on running workouts.
"They've always nitpicked at me. I've never come home after a game with just, 'Oh, you played great.' It would be, 'Oh, you played great, but …'
"They'd come with all the stuff I needed to work on."
Don't take this as family being mean or too demanding. Ultimate success comes from performing to your potential and, at times, just a little bit more. You have to push hard to do that.
Buss takes that approach and raises the stakes.
"I see that in myself when we watch film. I watch film a lot by myself or with coaches. Seeing stuff I need to work on. That motivates me to work harder and learn from my mistakes."
Buss has learned well.
A record-setting run at Mt. Carmel High School in Illinois included a pair of Illinois Miss Basketball awards, an 89-0 regular season tennis record, qualifying for the track state meet in the 800 meter run, the 300 and 100 hurdles, the 400 relay and the 1,600 relay, and lettering four years in cross country.
At IU Buss is an honorable mention All-America, a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a two-time academic all-conference performer. She has the school record with 59 straight double-figure scoring games. She's averaged 16.3 points for her career, with 128 three-pointers.
"I'm very confident as a scorer. That comes with work ethic. I practice it every day. I shoot extra. I get in the gym extra. That helps with that confidence. It's just reps after reps getting shots up. It's all muscle memory and being confident in myself."
The 5-8 Buss personifies versatility. She has 400 career assists, 390 career rebounds and 216 steals.
Yes, she plays defense.
"Tyra was not a good defender off the ball as a freshman," coach Teri Moren says. "She was good on the ball. To watch where she was then and is now as a defender is like night and day."
Credit hard work and coaching.
"I've always been good as an on-ball defender," Buss says, "but I've gotten back-cut sometimes. I've done a much better job defensively, talking defensively and keeping my head on a swivel. Seeing the ball and man. Being on help side defense, being in that gap so (opposing players) don't have direct drives and just being in that right position."
Buss and fellow senior Amanda Cahill -- also a returning all-conference player -- are the veterans on a young team (including five freshmen) full of potential. Strong veteran leadership is a top priority.
"It's scary and exciting," Buss says. "(The freshmen) are getting an opportunity to learn quickly. Coach is asking them to grow up fast. We'll need all of them to play with the short roster we have.
"I'm very comfortable being a leader. I've grown up doing it with all the sports I've done. Getting to the collegiate level it's hard to be a leader your first year.
"Amanda and I have grown into it. We've embraced that role."
IU has won 44 games in the last two seasons, making the NCAA tourney second round in 2016 and the WNIT quarterfinals last spring. The key to making a third straight postseason tourney, Buss says, is "Being confident and sticking together and believing in each other.
"I know we'll go through adversity. We'll go through growing pains, but as long as we stick together, have confidence in each other, have trust in each other, trust in the coaches and the coaches trust in us, we can achieve anything."
Buss has pro basketball aspirations -- "I want to continue playing as long as I can" -- and, beyond that, hopes to teach physical education at the middle school or high school level.
"I was born into a family of educators," she says. "I love working with children. I want to make a difference in their lives."
Afternoon turns to evening, and Cook Hall lights remain bright. Buss playfully bear hugs Moren from behind and lifts her off the floor. It's a player-coach bond not every program has, and it comes with the understanding that there remains much to do, challenges to face, competitions to win.
And if you try to stop Buss, expect to pay.
Players Mentioned
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