Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Down USF (12-21-02)
12/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
December 21, 2002
Hoosiers Down South Florida, 67-60
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Bloomington, Ind. - It may not have been pretty, but Indiana claimed a 67-60 win over South Florida at Assembly Hall on Saturday.
The Hoosiers improved to 6-3, while the Bulls fell to 4-5 on the year.
Solid frontcourt play proved to lead Indiana to the victory, as senior Lisa Eckart and sophomore Jenny DeMuth combined to score 37 of Indiana's 67 points.
Eckart turned in her second consecutive double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds. Indiana has seen four different players combine for seven double-doubles in its nine games this year.
Jenny DeMuth added 20 points and three steals in a game that saw Indiana force South Florida into committing 23 turnovers. DeMuth has now recorded 20 or more points in three games this season.
DeMuth came alive in the second half, scoring 16 points in the final 20 minutes, including six during the crucial stretch in which Indiana was able to create some separation in the score.
When DeMuth found Angela Hawkins for a baseline jumper with just over eight minutes left in the game, the Hoosiers opened up their first double-digit lead at 52-42.
"I felt that Jenny really hit a stride in the second half and helped us tremendously," said Indiana head coach Kathi Bennett. "I felt she was getting a little tired in the second half, but I told her that we couldn't have her get tired. She buckled down and led us the rest of the game."
As a whole, however, Indiana could not get its shots to fall from inside. The Hoosiers got to the rim with consistency, but could not finish. Indiana generated opportunities for its post players inside, but could not cash them in. The Hoosiers got to the line, but could not convert.
The first half was flat-out ugly, with Indiana converting on four of its first 21 attempts from the field and South Florida going three for its first 14. The two teams went into the locker room at halftime deadlocked at 24.
Indiana freshman point guard Kali Kullberg, who had started the Hoosiers' last two games, sat out Saturday's game after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee during practice earlier in the week. She is out for the season.
Starting in Kullberg's place was freshman Cyndi Valentin, who finished the game with 10 points and four rebounds. Valentin became the fourth different Hoosier freshman to start a game this year.
"I felt that Cyndi sparked us with good ball pressure in the second half," said Bennett. "I don't know if South Florida gave us a lot of pressure on our backcourt tonight, but Cyndi was tough and helped us have good transition."
Transition was also demanded of the Hoosiers off the court as well. DeMuth notes that with Kullberg's injury and final exams this week, the team had to keep its focus for this evening's game.
"Our focus was on school this week, but once we got on the floor and practiced, our focus would switch to this game," DeMuth said. "We had to be ready for this game. We stayed focused and came out and got the win."
The Hoosiers return to action at 8:05 p.m. (EST) on December 30, when they battle Illinois State at Redbird Arena in Normal, Illinois. The game can be heard live on WHCC Radio 105.1 in Bloomington, with Jeremy Gray calling all the action. For those outside the Bloomington area, the game can be heard by visiting iuhoosiers.com, then going to the women's basketball home page and clicking the "Listen Live" icon for the Illinois State game on the schedule page.
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