Indiana University Athletics
INDIANA HOSTS WESTERN KENTUCKY
11/24/1998 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
INDIANA HOSTS WESTERN KENTUCKY
THIS WEEK - After playing four games in four days, the Hoosiers will get a few days to rest before hosting Western Kentucky Friday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m., in Assembly Hall.
THE HOOSIERS - The Hoosiers are currently 3-3 after dropping games to No. 10 Rutgers (60-53) and No. 20 Florida (72-67) in the finals of the Preseason WNIT held last week in Fort Collins, Colo. Indiana returned home to host its own Full-O-Pep Classic Nov. 21-22, losing to Akron (70-67) before defeating East Tennessee State (103-61) in the consolation game. Freshman center Jill Chapman and junior guard Kay Morgan were named to the all-tournament team.
WESTERN KENTUCKY - The Lady Toppers are off to a perfect 4-0 start with victories over Howard, Mount St. Mary's, Austin Peay and Iowa. Western Kentucky is led by seniors Shea Lunsford and Katashia Witcher who are averaging 17.5 and 13.8 points per game, respectively. Lunsford also leads the squad off the glass with 11.3 rebounds per game. As a team, WKU is averaging 82.8 points and 47.5 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the field. The Lady Toppers are coached by Steve Small who is in his second season as head coach at Western Kentucky after spending the previous 13 years as an associate head coach with the program. Series History: Indiana is 0-2 against Western Kentucky. Last season the 15th ranked Lady Toppers defeated the Hoosiers 79-70 in Bowling Green, Ky.
HEAD COACH JIM IZARD - Head Coach Jim Izard is in his 11th season at the helm of the Indiana program where he owns a 168-126 (.574) overall record and a 77-97 (.445) mark in the Big Ten Conference. As Indiana's all-time winningest coach, Izard has guided his teams to nine winning seasons, two NCAA post-season tournament appearances, a runner-up finish in the NWIT post-season tournament and most recently, a trip to the Final Four of the WNIT last season. His 17-year career record stands at 330-175 (.657).
RECEIVING VOTES - The Hoosiers received two votes in the latest USA Today/Coaches Top 25 poll released Tuesday, Nov. 24.
DOWN TO THE WIRE - Indiana's three losses have been by seven or fewer points. Against No. 10 Rutgers, the Hoosiers had a chance to tie the game with 2:02 remaining before losing by seven points 60-53. Versus Florida, Indiana was down by two points with :24 left on the clock before losing by five 72-67. Then, against Akron, the Hoosiers were forced into overtime before losing by three 70-67.
PERIMETER PLAY SETS RECORD - After getting off to a shaky start, Indiana's perimeter play has started to turn itself around. In the Hoosiers 103-61 victory over East Tennessee State Sunday, Indiana's guards lit up the floor with a school record 12 3-pointers. Junior Kay Morgan led the Hoosier arsenal with 5-6 shooting from behind the arc while Kristi Green added four treys of her own. Dani Thrush, Staci Mueller and LaKale Malone tossed in one apiece.
IN THE PAINT - Heading into the 1998-99 season, the question that remained unanswered was who was to fill All-Big Ten center Quacy Barnes' shoes. Well after six games, the Hoosiers front court and post game appear to be in good shape as a trio of frontcourt players (Cindy Kerns, Jill Chapman, Summar Maines) have accounted for almost 50 percent of the Hoosiers' scoring and 52 percent of its rebounding. Leading the way is 6-5 freshman center Jill Chapman who is averaging 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Senior forward Cindy Kerns is averaging 10.8 points and 8.8 boards per game while Summar Maines contributes 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
ROOKIE SURPRISE - Freshman Jill Chapman has made and immediate impact for the Hoosiers, leading the team in scoring in four games and in rebounding in three. Through six games, the 6-5 center has scored in double digits in all but one contest and has collected a double-double in two games. Chapman's career high of 21 points came against No. 20 Florida last Friday in the consolation game of the WNIT.
INJURY REPORT - Freshman guard Heather Cassady sprained her right ankle in Friday's game vs. Akron. Cassady, who sprained her left ankle earlier this month, is listed as probable for Friday night's game vs. Western Kentucky.
INDIANA INKS SIX - Indiana has announced the signing of six student-athletes to national letters of intent. The signees include two players from the Hoosier state, two from Ohio and one from both Illinois and Yugoslavia. The signees include: Jill Hartman (5-11, forward, Evansville Memorial/ Evansville); Rainey Alting (5-5, guard, Vincennes University/Lafayette); Jelena Lazic (6-6, center, Vincennes University/Belgrade, Yugoslavia); Allison Skapin (6-0, forward, Beavercreek/Beavercreek, Ohio); Erika Christenson (6-4, center, Fairborn/Fairborn, Ohio) and Jamie Gathing (Kankakee, Ill.)
1998-99 HOOSIERS - Returning eight letterwinners and three starters off of last season's 21-12 squad, the Hoosiers look to be in the hunt for their first Big Ten Conference title since 1983. Indiana will look to its senior class for leadership and experience as six seniors return for their final campaign. Starting guards Kristi Green and Dani Thrush lead the team after averaging 11.0 and 8.3 points per game, respectively, a year ago. In addition, Green returns to the charity stripe to defend her 1998 NCAA free throw percentage title she garnered last season after leading the nation with a 91 percent free throw average.
CLASS OF 2002 - Indiana welcomes a freshmen class that should vie for playing time immediately. Indiana native Jill Chapman averaged 23.9 points and 18 rebounds per game last season while playing at Blackford High School in Montpelier. She is joined by newcomers Heather Cassady and Yasmina (Yasi) Radmanovich. Cassady was named the Associated Press Illinois Class A Player of the Year last season after averaging 17.5 points and 8.2 assists per game at Dunlap High School in Peoria, Ill. Radmanovich averaged 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while playing at Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville, Calif.
CAPTAINS NAMED - Seniors Kristi Green, Cindy Kerns and Dani Thrush
will be captain the 1998-99 Hoosiers.
