Indiana University Athletics
IU Heads to Evanston (2-19-03)
2/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
February 19, 2003
Can Bennett Stay Perfect vs. Northwestern?
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• Northwestern Game Notes CLICK HERE! • Player Notes CLICK HERE!
Bennett's Pocketbook Takes A Hit
Indiana head coach Kathi Bennett made a pledge to donate $5,000 of her own money to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation if the Hoosiers set a new single-game attendance record when they hosted Wisconsin on January 24.
The existing record of 5,503 fans was shattered in the contest, as 7,986 people came through the gates for the game.
Hoosiers Head To Evanston
The Indiana women's basketball team (11-11 overall, 4-8 Big Ten) looks for its first three-game winning streak of the Big Ten season when it heads to Evanston to face Northwestern (7-17 overall; 2-11 Big Ten)
The game can be heard live on WHCC Radio 105.1 in Bloomington with Jeremy Gray calling all the action.
The broadcast can be also be accessed live by visiting iuhoosiers.com, then going to the women's basketball schedule page. Once on the schedule page, click on the "listen live" icon for the Northwestern game.
Series History
Northwestern owns a 26-22 all-time series advantage over Indiana, but the Hoosiers have gotten the better of the Wildcats lately, winning each of the last five meetings between the two squads.
Series at a Glance
Series Record...Northwestern leads, 26-22
In Evanston...Northwestern leads, 15-5
In Bloomington...Indiana leads, 13-9
Last Indiana Win...1/9/03 in Bloomington, 62-52
Last Northwestern Win...2/19/99 in Evanston, 79-68
Current Streak...Indiana has won five straight
Injury Update
Freshman forward Brigett Branson sprained her right ankle against Wisconsin last Sunday and will not play against Northwestern on Thursday. Her status for Sunday's contest against Michigan will be a game-time decision.
Northwestern-Indiana Ties
Two of Indiana's players have been under the tutelage of Northwestern head coach June Olkowski. Hoosier point guard Kristen Bodine starred for Olkowski at Butler University before transferring to IU. Indiana forward Jill Hartman played for Olkowski on the Big Ten Foreign Tour team that compiled a 5-0 record traveling through Europe last summer.
Indiana senior forward Lisa Eckart teamed with Northwestern guard Emily Butler to lead Center Grove High School to a 25-2 record and an Indiana state championship in 1996.
Bennett Undefeated vs. The Wildcats
In her third season at Indiana, head coach Kathi Bennett has never lost to Northwestern, winning all three of the games in which she coached against the Wildcats. Northwestern is one of two teams against which Kathi Bennett owns and undefeated record (she is 5-0 against Ohio State).
Last Game
Indiana is coming off a thrilling 49-48 win over Wisconsin in Madison last Sunday.
The Hoosiers trailed by two with 1:01 left when Kristen Bodine drilled a three-pointer to win the game.
Cyndi Valentin led the way for Indiana with 23 points in the game as the Hoosiers held Wisconsin to 35.4 percent shooting from the field in the game.
Wrapping Up The Wisconsin Game
• Indiana's win over Wisconsin marked the first for the Hoosiers in Madison under Kathi Bennett.
• Sunday's game marked only the second time this year that the Hoosiers trailed with under two minutes left but still won the game (Ball State).
• The game marked the first time since January 4, 1993 that the Hoosiers scored less than 50 points but still won the game (Furman).
Don't Look Now, But...
At this same point last year, the Hoosiers sat at 11-11 and were coming off a pair of Big Ten wins over Ohio State and Michigan State.
The Hoosiers then lost their next two games (at Purdue and vs. Penn State) before winning their final two regular-season contests just prior to the storybook run through the Big Ten Tournament.
Once. Twice. Three Times A Hoosier?
The Hoosiers have won two consecutive games (at home vs. Iowa and on the road vs. Wisconsin) after losing seven consecutive just prior. When Indiana faces the Wildcats Thursday, they are looking to win three consecutive games for only the second time this year (and the first time during the Big Ten season).
Big Ten Tournament Scenario
If the Big Ten Tournament were to be played today, Indiana would go in as the No. 9 seed and would face eighth-seeded Wisconsin on the first day of the tournament.
The winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game faces the No. 1 seed the next day and would have to win four games in five days to emerge as the tournament champion.
Ohio State, Minnesota and Michigan State are all just one win away from cementing themselves ahead of Indiana in the final standings, while Penn State and Purdue have already achieved that status.
Should the Buckeyes, Gophers and Spartans all win just one more game, Indiana would be mathematically eliminated from receiving an opening-day bye, as only the top five seeds in the tournament get a bye.
Indiana (11-11; 4-8 Big Ten) Remaining Schedule
2/20 at Northwestern (7-17; 2-11 Big Ten)
2/23 MICHIGAN (11-12; 2-10 Big Ten)
2/27 at Purdue (20-4; 9-3 Big Ten)
3/2 ILLINOIS (14-9; 6-6 Big Ten)
Combined Opponent Big Ten Record: 19-30 (.388 pct)
Ohio State (17-7; 8-5 Big Ten) Remaining Schedule
2/19 at Illinois (14-9; 6-6 Big Ten)
2/23 PURDUE (20-4; 9-3 Big Ten)
2/27 MICHIGAN (11-12; 2-10 Big Ten)
Combined Opponent Big Ten Record: 17-19 (.472 pct)
Minnesota (19-4; 8-4 Big Ten) Remaining Schedule
2/20 at Iowa (13-10; 5-7 Big Ten)
2/23 PENN STATE (21-6; 11-2 Big Ten)
2/27 WISCONSIN (7-17; 5-8 Big Ten)
3/2 at Michigan (11-12; 2-10 Big Ten)
Combined Opponent Big Ten Record: 23-27 (.460 pct)
Michigan State (15-8; 8-4 Big Ten) Remaining Schedule
2/20 at PURDUE (20-4; 9-3 Big Ten)
2/24 ILLINOIS (14-9; 6-6 Big Ten)
2/27 at Iowa (13-10; 5-7 Big Ten)
3/2 NORTHWESTERN (7-17; 2-11 Big Ten)
Combined Opponent Big Ten Record: 22-27 (.449 pct)
Defense Tops Big Ten
Kathi Bennett is a coach that stresses defense, and her Hoosiers have responded. Indiana leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense and is second in three-point field goal defense, limiting the opposition to .385 shooting from the field and .293 shooting from beyond the arc.
In addition, the Hoosiers rank third in the conference in scoring defense, limiting the opposition to only 61.4 points per game.
Valentin A Name To Remember
Indiana freshman guard Cyndi Valentin has shined more than any freshman guard since Linda Cunningham in 1983.
Valentin averages 11.1 points per game, which is the second-highest mark ever for a freshman guard at Indiana behind Cunningham's 11.2 average in 1983.
Among the 17 members of Indiana's 1,000-point club, only six averaged more than 11.1 points per game as a freshman.
Valentin's three 20+ scoring games are the most ever for a freshman guard at Indiana, and her 23-point showing against Wisconsin matches the school record for points by a freshman guard.
Bloomington is Watching
Indiana has always been at or near the bottom of the Big Ten in home attendance, but the Hoosiers are starting to get hometown support that they have not gotten in the past.
The Hoosiers have seen 21,441 fans come through the gates of Assembly Hall this year in their 10 home games (2,144 average).
Indiana's current attendance figure is a significant improvement over the entire history of the program, as the Hoosiers have only broken the 20,000 fan plateau for a season twice.
Indiana has never averaged more than 2,000 fans per game during a season.
The Hoosiers have established three of the top eight single-game attendance marks in school history this year, setting a school record on January 24 when 7,986 fans saw the Hoosiers host Wisconsin.
Bodine Lighting It Up
Kristen Bodine has become more effective offensively recently, matching a career high by scoring 23 points against Iowa last Thursday. She terrorized the Hawkeyes for 21 points in Iowa City on January 30.
Bodine has led the team in scoring in three of Indiana's last five games.
Kristen Bodine In The Last Five Games
Points Per Game 14.4
FG-FGA (Pct.) 29-for-56 (.518 pct)
3FG-3FGA (Pct.) 6-for-16 (.375 pct.)
Rebounds Per Game 3.8
Assists Per Game 3.8
Kristen Bodine in the Six Games Prior
Points Per Game 5.3
FG-FGA (Pct.) 8-for-41 (.195 pct)
3FG-3FGA (Pct.) 6-for-21 (.286 pct.)
Rebounds Per Game 2.3
Assists Per Game 2.2
Adventures In Free Throw Shooting
Free throw shooting has been a very real problem for the Hoosiers all year, as they rank 11th in the Big Ten with a .673 team percentage.
Mathematically, poor free throw shooting has cost the Hoosiers four games this year
Recruiting Class Ranked
Indiana's incoming crop of freshmen has been tabbed as a top-25 recruiting class by All-Star Girls Report recruiting service.
The Hoosier crop was ranked 23rd nationally and is headlined by Indianapolis native Carrie Smith (Brebeuf Jesuit) and by 6'7 Canadian Sarah McKay.
Monroeville native Leah Enterline (Heritage HS) also joins the class, along with Lincoln, Neb., product Jamey Chapman and Minneapolis' Annika Boyd.
All Good Things Must End
Cyndi Valentin's streak of 25 consecutive made free throws came to an end in State College when she missed the second of her two free throws in the second half of Indiana's loss to Penn State. Valentin's streak stands as an Indiana freshman record and is the second-best mark for any player ever at IU.
Longest Free-Throw Streaks at Indiana
1) Kristi Green (1998) - 31 consecutive
2) Cyndi Valentin (2003) - 25 consecutive
3) Jenny DeMuth (2002) - 18 consecutive
3) Lisa Furlin (1993) - 18 consecutive
5) Kristi Green (1996-97) - 14 consecutive
6) Kali Kullberg (2002) - 12 consecutive
Indiana's Comebacks
The Hoosiers have trailed in the second half in six of their 11 wins this year. Here is a look at IU's largest comebacks this season.
Ball State-67, Indiana-62 with 4:03 remaining W, 103-95 (2 OT)
Northwestern-31, Indiana-23 with 19:28 remaining W, 62-52
Ohio State-41, Indiana-31 with 9:05 remaining W, 54-50
Michigan-45, Indiana-29 with 16:50 remaining L, 71-68
Bitten By The Injury Bug
Starting guard Kali Kullberg went down in practice on December 17 with a torn ACL and is out for the season. She underwent surgery on December 30, and will not be able to take a medical redshirt, as she played in too many games to qualify.
With Kullberg out of the lineup, head coach Kathi Bennett is faced with the daunting task of coaching with only one point guard on her roster (Kristen Bodine, who tore her ACL last year and is still not quite at 100 percent herself).
Earlier in the season, junior LeeAnn Stephenson also suffered a torn ACL in practice. The quickest player on the Indiana roster, Stephenson underwent surgery and is redshirting the season.
Who's It Going To Come From?
Scoring punch has come from several different sources this year.
Against Iowa, Kristen Bodine became the fourth different Hoosier this year to score more than 20 points in a game, joining Jenny DeMuth, Lisa Eckart and Cyndi Valentin.
Five different Hoosiers have scored 17 or more points in a game this year, with eight players reaching double figures.
On top of that, four different Hoosiers have posted double-doubles this year and eight different Hoosiers have led the team in scoring in a game this year.
Bennett Coaches 400th
When the Hoosiers faced Illinois on January 2, it marked the 400th game of Kathi Bennett's career as a head coach.
In her 15 years as a head coach, she has won a Division III National Championship, a Big Ten Tournament Title, seven conference championships, made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and has five 20-win seasons to her credit.
Bennett Second-Fastest to 40
Indiana head coach Kathi Bennett picked up her 40th win at the helm of the Hoosier program when Indiana handed Eastern Kentucky a 61-49 defeat on November 25.
Having reached the 40-win mark in her 65th game as the head coach of the Hoosiers, she became the second-fastest to 40 wins in Indiana history.
Fastest to 40 wins at Indiana
1) Bea Gorton (1971-76) 46 games
2) Kathi Bennett (2000-present) 65 games
3) Jim Izard (1988-2000) 71 games
4) Maryalyce Jeremiah (1980-85) 73 games
5) Joy Malcholdi (1976-80) 82 games
Road Weary
The Hoosiers logged some serious miles during the nonconference portion of the schedule. After opening the season at home, Indiana traveled to Anchorage, Alaska for the Great Alaska Shootout. The Hoosiers then visited Tallahassee, Fla., to battle Florida State before returning home to host Georgetown. The Hoosiers concluded their odyssey by traveling to Denton, Texas to do battle with North Texas.
The Hoosiers traveled 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 covered 9,046 miles over a span of 18 days.
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.
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 this year's roster, is the runner-up for the state's 2001 Miss Basketball award (Jenny DeMuth) and four Indiana All-Stars (DeMuth, Kristen Bodine, Brigett Branson and Cyndi Valentin.)
Valentin's Day
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.
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/ Women's BasketballThursday, August 13
Thursday, August 13
Wednesday, August 12
Wednesday, August 12