Indiana University Athletics
10-29-97 Weekly Press Release
10/29/1997 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
10-29-97 Weekly Press Release
1997-98 SEASON SET TO BEGIN -- Indiana women's basketball team takes to the court for the first time this season in its annual Red and White Scrimmage Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 5 p.m. Admission is free to the public.
MEDIA INFORMATION -- IU Assistant Media Relations Director Shelli Stewart handles all requests regarding the Hoosier coaches and players. Interview requests should be made through Stewart who can be reached courtside during Indiana's games, or at the IU Media Relations Office (812) 855-4770. Interview requests during the week must be made 24 hours in advance.
INDIANA BASKETBALL ON THE RADIO -- All of Indiana's games will be heard live via radio broadcast on WGCT (105.1 FM). The live broadcast will be handled by play-by-play announcer Mike Scott. The broadcast will feature scouting reports by coach Jim Izard, player interviews, a half-time show and a post-game wrap-up with assistant coaches Susan Dixon and Keila Whittington.
1997-98 HOOSIERS -- Indiana returns all but two players from last year's 14-13 squad which advanced to the semi-finals of the 1997 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. Three starters return, led by center Quacy Barnes. The 6-5 senior returns as Indiana's leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker, having averaged 13.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. Junior Kristi Green returns for the third-straight year at the point. As a sophomore, Green was the most consistent player for the Hoosiers, averaging 11.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while leading IU from behind the arc with 43 3-pointers. Also returning in the backcourt is junior Dani Thrush who averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season. Sophomore Rachael Honegger should see plenty of action at small forward after playing last season at power forward. At 5-11, Honegger will give the Hoosiers size as well as someone who can consistently feed the post, score off the dribble or shoot from behind the 3-point line. As a freshman, she averaged 6.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Four different players will rotate at power forward but should be led by 6-0 junior Summar Maines. As a sophomore, Maines averaged 4.6 rebounds and 4.1 points per game.
Top Letterwinners returning: Quacy Barnes, 6-5, C, Sr., 13.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.3 bpg; Kristi Green, 5-2, G, Jr., 11.2 ppg, 2.7 apg; Rachael Honegger, 5-11, F, So., 6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg; Cindy Kerns, 6-2, F, Jr., 3.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg; Summar Maines, 6-0, F, Jr., 4.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg; Dani Thrush, 5-9, G, Jr., 9.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg.
Letterwinners lost: Bridget Porter, 5-9, G/F, 5.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg; Tatjana Vesel, 5-9, G, 13.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg.
NEWCOMERS -- Indiana's roster this season includes four freshmen. Newcomer Melissa Yuska, a 6-2 forward from Merrill, Wis., was a NIKE All-American who averaged 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game as a senior. In the backcourt will be freshmen Staci Mueller, Tara Jones and walk-on Jill Reynolds. Mueller, a 5-10 guard from Evansville, Ind., was the state's leading scorer as a senior, averaging 28.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Jones, a 5-11 guard from Memphis, Tenn., averaged 19 points and fours assists per game as a senior. Reynolds, a 5-4 guard, comes to IU from New Harmony, Ind., where she was the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,441 career points.
HEAD COACH JIM IZARD -- Head Coach Jim Izard begins his 10th season at the helm of the Indiana program where he owns a 144-11 (.563) overall school record and a 67-90 (.427) mark in the Big Ten Conference. As Indiana's all-time winningest coach, Izard has guided his teams to eight winning seasons and two NCAA post-season tournament appearances. His 16-year career record stands at 307-160 (.657).
HOOSIERS ON THE TUBE -- Five of Indiana's games will be televised live this season, starting with the Hoosiers first television appearance Friday, Jan. 16, at 8 p.m., against Michigan on WTIU-TV. WTIU will also telecast IU's game vs. Purdue (Jan. 25/5 p.m.); Penn State (Feb. 8/2 p.m.) and Minnesota (Feb. 15/2 p.m.). Fox Sports Chicago will televise two IU games this season, starting with the Hoosiers game vs. Illinois Monday, Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. Fox Sports other broadcast will be against intrastate rival Purdue Jan. 25 at 5 p.m.
NEXT UP -- Indiana will host two exhibition games in the next 10 days. Indiana will meet the Hoosier Lady Stars Sunday, Nov. 2 at 3 p.m., before taking on the Brisbane Blazers Australian Team Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. Admission for both games is free to the public.
FAX ON DEMAND -- Media Members can access information on the Hoosiers 24-hours a day, seven days a week with the Big Ten's Fax-On-Demand service. Call 770/399/3066 from the handset of your fax machine and then follow the voice prompt instructions. (Press 282 for the Big Ten code; request cell 1430 for Hoosiers Gamenotes, 1431 for stats/results and 1433 for most recent box score.
