Indiana University Athletics
Season Preview (10-21-02)
10/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
October 21, 2002
Hoosiers Looking Ahead to 2002-03 Campaign
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Something new is happening in Bloomington.
Something people aren't used to, but are starting to get behind.
The Indiana women's basketball team is becoming a force in the Big Ten and people are noticing.
Fresh off a storybook Big Ten Tournament Championship run last year, head coach Kathi Bennett has her team looking to make some more noise.
As has been the case with Bennett-coached teams throughout her career, it all starts with defense, where the Hoosiers should once again rank among the conference's best.
With an athletic and versatile lineup dotted with six new faces, Bennett will be able to match up with teams in a variety of ways.
"Having six new players, we are going to stress defense," Bennett said. "They are going to have to understand that defense is what has allowed us to be in every single game. We are gearing them towards defense because that is what our system will be about."
The Hoosiers, who ranked third in the conference in scoring defense last season, return a starter in sophomore shooting guard/small forward Jenny DeMuth, as well as experienced reserves in senior forward Jill Hartman, senior center Allison Skapin, senior guard Khisha Asubuhi and junior forward Jamie Gathing.
In addition to Indiana's group of returners, Bennett will also welcome a pair of seniors who both found themselves on the sidelines last year, but are expected to be impact players in 2002-03.
Kristen Bodine is back after missing last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament that she suffered just three games into the season.
Another welcome addition to the Hoosier lineup will be forward Lisa Eckart. Eckart, who started her collegiate career playing for Bennett at the University of Evansville, has already reached the 1,000-point scoring mark for her career and is a two-time all-conference selection, as well as landing a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman team in her first season there.
"They already have so much experience," Bennett said of Bodine and Eckart. "Both of them can pass and have such a good feel on the court. They can make a difference immediately with their competitiveness. They both have a hatred for losing, and that will make a difference."
BACKCOURT
Indiana figures to get the majority of its points from the backcourt this year, with Jenny DeMuth and Kristen Bodine leading the way.
"Our guards are going to get more movement and scoring opportunities in the offense this year," Bennett said. "They are going to get more catches on the move and will be able to get to the rim a little easier."
Bennett said she is looking for more production from her guards based on personnel needs.
"Last year, we would throw the ball down to Jill (Chapman) and work a lot of things for her," Bennett said. "This year, we're going to see Jenny taking a lot more shots and becoming more of a feature player in the offense. A healthy Kristen will allow us to get some more easy scoring opportunities in transition as well as in the halfcourt set because she is such a good passer."
Also figuring in to the mix in the backcourt will be defensive specialist Khisha Asubuhi, who cracked into the starting lineup against Kent State last year and responded by knocking down four-of-four from three-point range. Asubuhi appeared in 25 games last year, recording a .429 percentage from three-point land and averaged over 14 minutes per contest coming off the bench.
A pair of newcomers will get a good look in the backcourt as well, with freshmen Kali Kullberg and Cyndi Valentin both figuring to see significant action.
Kullberg, who has drawn comparisons to former Hoosier point guard Heather Cassady for her gritty play and toughness on the court, should provide a spark with her quickness and tenacity. The Mound, Minn., product finished her prep career as the top scorer (boys or girls) in the history of Orono High School with 1,727 career points. Making that figure even more impressive is perhaps the best illustration of Kullberg's toughness -- the fact that she played her junior season with two broken wrists and did not have surgery to repair them until after the season was over.
As for Valentin, she is a player that local fans will be able to get behind immediately. A native of Bloomington, Valentin starred at Bloomington South High School, where she led the team to a number one ranking in the state during her senior year and was chosen as an Indiana All-Star. Considered as one of the top players in the state of Indiana since her sophomore season, Valentin should see some good minutes at both the shooting guard and small forward positions.
Providing depth in the backcourt will be another newcomer in Lincoln Trail CC transfer LeeAnn Stephenson. Stephenson is a player who will see the majority of her action at the point guard slate and should battle with Kullberg as Bodine's primary backup. Stephenson brings Division I experience to the Hoosiers, having started her career at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock two years ago before transferring to Lincoln Trail.
FRONTCOURT
Bennett is expecting to see increased production from her backcourt, but it is the frontcourt that should help bring stability to the team.
With seniors likely to start at the small forward and power forward spots, Indiana appears to be in good hands.
One of the hardest-working players on the Indiana roster, small forward Jill Hartman is a solid candiate to start at small forward. A former Indiana All-Star who came out of high school with high expectations, Hartman has seen her role on the team be altered based on personnel from year to year. This year, Hartman is now a central figure on the team and will get looks in the halfcourt set.
Hartman, who was utilized as a player who could stretch opposing defenses with her ability to shoot the three last year, will see more plays run for her this year and her production should increase as a result. If there is a player on the team that has already proven to have the ability to shine when called upon, it is Hartman. The Evansville, Ind., native averaged 8.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a freshman in 1999-2000 and showed some of that form last year when it was needed, scoring five points, grabbing five rebounds and distributing three assists in only 20 minutes of play in the Big Ten Tournament Championship game. A key point to remember when dealing with Hartman is the fact that she is the Hoosiers' single-season record holder for three-point shooting percentage, draining .625 pct. of her treys during the 2000-01 season.
Joining Hartman in the frontcourt is perhaps the biggest and most important question mark for Indiana, senior Lisa Eckart. Eckart is a proven collegiate star. Eckart was forced to sit out last season after transferring from the University of Evansville, where she started her career playing for Bennett before the coach took over at Indiana.
A healthy Eckart, without question, is one of the better players in the Big Ten.
Therein lies the catch.
Eckart underwent major back surgery in the off-season to repair a ruptured disc, and may or may not be at full speed when the season begins.
A native of Greenwood, Ind., Eckart spent all of last season as a practice player, simulating the opposition's top offensive threat. Eckart's versatility and ability to score consistently from anywhere on the court allowed her to effectively prepare the Hoosiers for what was to come, but also accomplished another goal. It gave her a chance to get a shot off under any circumstance.
"Lisa can play anywhere on the floor, one through five," Bennett said. "She makes everyone better. This is her senior year, and I know where her heart is and how bad she wants it."
Eckart should see the majority of her action at the power forward position, and will be looked to not only for production on the floor, but should also be instrumental in the development of promising freshman Brigett Branson.
Branson, another former Indiana All-Star, is a player that could come in and make an instant impact based on the offensive system she is getting into.
Branson's game fits perfectly into Bennett's approach, as she has the ability to score consistently from the mid-post and brings the ability to rebound, an area in which the Hoosiers have struggled in recent years.
Branson will compete for time with sophomore Me'sha Salters, who redshirted last season as a partial qualifier and Jamie Gathing, who saw significant time last year. Salters suffered through various injuries while practicing with the team last year, but did demonstrate a strong will to win as well as the ability to rebound and block shots. Salters has a solid back-to-the-basket game and could see significant action this year.
Gathing is clearly a remarkable athlete, but injuries have plagued her throughout her time in Bloomington. The junior has shown the ability to make a difference on the court with the ability to crash the boards and play defense. However, she underwent off-season surgery and will be looking to get back to top form. Should she recover in a timely manner, Gathing could be one of the first players off the bench for Indiana.
As for the small forward position, look for athletic newcomer April Williams to compete for time as a backup for Hartman. Cyndi Valentin is another possibility, and her ability to rebound as well as she does will make her a candidate for some time in the frontcourt when Bennett decides to go with a quicker lineup.
CENTER
At no position will you see a more drastic change from one year to the next for Indiana than at center.
Senior Allison Skapin will log the majority of the minutes after shining during last year's Big Ten Tournament. Skapin's style of play varies greatly from that of the person she is replacing, Jill Chapman. While Chapman was more of a back-to-the-basket threat, Skapin is a quicker player with good hands and the ability to face defenders up and get to the rim.
"I am really excited for Alli," Bennett said. "This is her year. She has always done what was asked of her and was such a good player in the role she was in. Now it is her time. She has wanted so much to be a player to lead the team to a Big Ten title, and now her time has come and I am happy for her."
Backing up Skapin is another freshman that could see a good chunk of minutes in Angela Hawkins. A 6-3 native of Winter Haven, Fla., Hawkins was considered a top-60 national recruit and should be able to step in at the Division I level and immediately have a presence on the low block as it pertains to blocking shots and rebounding. As a senior, Hawkins pulled in an astounding 15.8 rebounds per game in leading Winter Haven to the state finals.
"This group has a similar sense of urgency that last year's team had," Bennett said. "There is a hunger for the seniors. They were a part of everything that happened last year and now they want to be the ones to lead the way. It should be exciting to see."
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