Indiana University Athletics
Previewing Alaska (11-25-02)
11/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
November 25, 2002
Hoosiers Look For Shootout Title
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Complete notes in PDF Format, CLICK HERE
The Great White North
The Indiana women's basketball team (2-0 overall) heads to Anchorage, Alaska to take part in the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout this week.
The Hoosiers face defending Ohio Valley Conference-champion Eastern Kentucky at midnight (EST) on Tuesday, then face either Nevada or Alaska-Anchorage the next day.
Should the Hoosiers defeat Eastern Kentucky (2-0 overall), they would play in the Shootout championship game at 10 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday. Should Indiana lose its opener, it would play at 6:30 p.m. (EST).
Both of Indiana's games can be heard live on WHCC 105.1 radio with Jeremy Gray calling all the action.
About The Shootout
For the second time in school history, the Hoosiers are competing in the Shootout (1981-82 was the other year, when the Hoosiers won their first two in Anchorage before falling to Minnesota.)
The last two Great Alaska Shootout champions have come from the Big Ten, with Ohio State winning in 2000 and Iowa taking home the crown in 2001.
The Big Ten's five Shootout championships are more than any other conference.
Series History
The Hoosiers own a 5-3 all-time series advantage over Eastern Kentucky, with the last meeting resulting in an 86-69 Indiana victory in 1995. The Hoosiers have won the last three over the Colonels.
Indiana and Nevada have only met once before, with IU claiming a 76-56 win in 1990.
The Hoosiers have never faced Alaska-Anchorage.
Shootout Storyline
Perhaps the most interesting storyline as it pertains to Indiana in this year's Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout is the fact that Hoosier assistant coach Paul Nixon served as an assistant coach at Nevada from 1997-99. While Nixon was in Reno, he was directly responsible for recruiting the best player on the Wolf Pack's current roster, senior forward Kate Smith.
Smith is a preseason All-Western Athletic Conference selection and is considered one of the better seniors in the country.
Bennett In Search Of Number 40
Indiana head coach Kathi Bennett will be looking to pick up her 40th win at the helm of the Hoosier program when Indiana takes the court against Eastern Kentucky.
Just beginning her third season at Indiana Bennett has compiled a 39-25 record (.609 pct).
Should she reach the 40-win mark on Tuesday in her 65th game as the head coach of the Hoosiers, she would become the second-fastest to 40 wins in Indiana history.
Fastest to 40 wins at Indiana
1) Bea Gorton (1971-76) 46 games
2) Jim Izard (1988-2000) 71 games
3) Maryalyce Jeremiah (1980-85) 73 games
4) Joy Malcholdi (1976-80) 82 games
All Over The Map
The Hoosiers will log some serious miles during the early part of the 2002-03 campaign. After opening the season with the Hampton Inn/Fazoli's Classic at home, Indiana travels to Anchorage, Alaska for the Great Alaska Shootout. The Hoosiers then head to Tallahassee, Fla., to battle Florida State before returning home to host Georgetown. After that contest, it's back on the road for a trip to Denton, Texas for a contest against North Texas.
The Hoosiers are looking at 5,662 miles to and from Anchorage, then 1,596 miles to and from Tallahassee, only to travel an additional 1,788 miles to and from Denton. All tolled, Indiana will cover 9,046 miles over a span of 18 days.
Playing Some Good Ball
With the Hoosiers picking up a pair of wins and the championship at last weekend's Hampton Inn/Fazoli's Classic, Indiana has now won eight of its last nine games, dating back to last year.
Indiana has won its last five regular-season games. The last time the Hoosiers won six consecutive regular-season games came in Kathi Bennett's first six games at IU, from November 17-December 1, 2000, when the Hoosiers won seven straight.
Looking Back on Last Week
In what was perhaps the most talented field ever at the Hampton Inn/Fazoli's Classic, Indiana made an early-season statement by claiming the championship.
The Hoosiers clinched the title with an exciting 103-95 double-overtime win over in-state foe Ball State in the championship game.
The victory, which came over a Cardinal club that was receiving votes in the latest polls, marked the Hoosiers' fourth win in their last five games against teams that were either ranked or receiving votes in the polls.
DeMuth Sets School Record
Sophomore guard Jenny DeMuth set a new school record in the Hoosiers' 103-95 win over Ball State by draining all 14 of her free-throw attempts in the contest.
The prior record was held by Lisa Furlin, who went 12-for-12 in a game against Wisconsin in 1993.
Denise Jackson holds the school record for total free throws made in a game with 15.
More From The Record Books
This year's Hoosiers have already marked up the record books.
In IU's 103-95 win over Ball State on November 23, the Hoosiers tied the single-game team record for assists with 29, led by Kristen Bodine. Bodine had 12 assists in the contest, a mark which tied her for third place on the school's single-game chart for an individual.
Indiana's 103 points in that contest tied for the second-highest single-game outburst, behind the 110 points the Hoosiers put on the board against Alabama-Birmingham in 1991.
Even More From The Record Books
When the Hoosiers defeated Wofford, 90-34 to open the season, they tied for the third-most lopsided win in school history (56 points).
The margin of victory in that contest was the largest for an Indiana team since the Hoosiers rolled to a 98-42 win over Ball State in 1991.
Freshman Impact
Indiana is a team that will rely heavily on freshmen this year, and last weekend was just a taste of what can be expected.
Guard Cyndi Valentin averaged 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on .588 shooting from the field.
Center Angela Hawkins was one of the key factors in the Hoosiers' narrow win over Ball State, as she scored nine points and hauled in 11 rebounds in the contest.
Forward Brigett Branson got the start in each of Indiana's first two contests, becoming the first Indiana freshman since current WNBA player Jill Chapman to start in her collegiate debut.
Guard Kali Kullberg scored seven points against Wofford, then came back to drain a clutch three-pointer down the stretch against Ball State.
As a unit, Indiana's five freshmen (Valentin, Hawkins, Branson, Kullberg and April Williams) have combined to average 30.0 points, 17.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on .469 shooting from the field and .455 shooting from three-point land.
Big Red Plays Some Big "D"
Kathi Bennett is a coach that stresses defense, and through two games, it has been defense that made the Hoosiers as good as they are.
Indiana held Wofford to 34 points in its season opener and has held its first two opponents (Wofford and Ball State) to .325 percent shooting from the field and .270 shooting from beyond the three-point arc.
In addition, the Hoosiers have forced their opponents to commit 39 turnovers.
Taking Care of the Ball
Indiana has done an excellent job of protecting the ball. The Hoosiers have distributed 46 assists as a team and have committed only 21 turnovers.
Indiana's starting backcourt of Kristen Bodine and Jenny DeMuth has combined for particularly impressive numbers, with a combined 28 assists and only three turnovers.
Stephenson Takes Injury Redshirt
Indiana junior guard LeeAnn Stephenson will redshirt the 2002-03 season after tearing her Anterior Cruciate Ligament in practice on Saturday, November 9.
Stephenson, who was competing for strong minutes at the point guard position after transferring from Lincoln Trail (Ill.) Junior College, sustained the same injury that sidelined teammate and fellow point guard Kristen Bodine last season.
Hartman Used To Being All Over The Map
Indiana's travel situation in the early part of the season may seem a bit much, but it is nothing new to senior forward Jill Hartman. Hartman toured Europe this past summer as a member of the Big Ten All-Star team that compiled a perfect 5-0 record.
Home Grown Hoosiers
Since taking over at the helm of the Indiana program prior to the 2000-01 season, Kathi Bennett has made a point of bringing in some of the top talent from the state of Indiana. On the current roster, Bennett has brought in the runner-up for the state's 2001 Miss Basketball award (Jenny DeMuth) and three Indiana All-Stars (DeMuth, Brigett Branson and Cyndi Valentin.)
Valentin Makes Name From Downtown
Freshman Cyndi Valentin made quite an impression in her first go-around in front of the Indiana faithful. The local product from Bloomington South High School won the three-point shooting contest at Midnight Madness in front of over 12,000 fans at Assembly Hall.
Valentin emerged from the women's half of the bracket by edging Kristen Bodine, then defeated men's champion Ryan Tapak in the event final.
What's Next
Following the Great Alaska Shootout, Indiana heads to Tallahassee, Fla., where they will battle Florida State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3. The Hoosiers and Seminoles met last year, with FSU coming into Assembly Hall and claiming a 62-61 win on a buzzer-beater by Martinsville native April Traylor.
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