Indiana University Athletics
2004-05 Season Outlook (11-01-04)
11/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
For the 2004-05 Indiana women's basketball team, it will be a different story. The Hoosiers will take a different approach and have the luxury of picking up right where they left off last year. They return 11 players, including four starters for the upcoming season and welcome only two new players.
The fourth-youngest team in the nation last season, Indiana had a year to mature as an entire team and adjust to the strong play of the Big Ten Conference. With its core returning, the Hoosiers are gearing up for what has the potential to be a great season.
"This is the first time in my coaching career I have been faced with a situation like this," said fifth-year head coach Kathi Bennett. "It is a pretty great scenario to be in. However, we only have three seniors, so we are still really young. We have high hopes and are extremely optimistic about this year. Our goals are definitely to get to the NCAA Tournament and finish in the upper half of the Big Ten."
Looking at the team overall, Bennett says the two biggest aspects the Hoosiers will have to work on is scoring and the development of their inside post players.
"We struggled to score at times last year," said Bennett. "We have to shoot the basketball better. Our transition offense also has to improve. We have to be able to run and push the ball up the court better than what we did last year."
As far as the post-players Bennett says the maturity of their players underneath will be a huge factor in how the Hoosiers fare this season.
"How those players develop this fall is going to be crucial to the success of our team. We need them to get tougher mentally and physically. They have to progress."
GUARDS
Junior Cyndi Valentin, a Big Ten honorable mention selection last season, will play a significant role among the IU guards. Valentin, a member of the Puerto Rican National team this past summer, was solid from beyond the arc in '03-04 as she led the team in three-point field goal percentage (.386). She also set a new school record when she drained 42 consecutive free throws and had a free throw percentage of .925, which ranked second nationally.
"Her experience playing with the Puerto Rican National team will be great for her," Bennett said. "I know she has worked very hard on her outside shot and her ball-handling skills. She is also much quicker right now, and that is going to be very beneficial to her on the defensive end."
Sophomores Annika Boyd and Leah Enterline are both coming off solid freshmen campaigns and should each step in as helpful candidates for the upcoming season.
"They got a tremendous amount of experience as freshmen, and it has to pay off during their sophomore years for us to take a step in the right direction," Bennett said.
Boyd was a pure shooter, draining 41 percent of her three-point attempts last year.
"Annika can do things offensively that no one else on our team can do," added Bennett. "She has definitely improved since she's been here. The better shape she gets in, the better she will be. She is really talented."
Enterline saw considerable playing time, which enabled her to etch her name in the record books. Not only did she lead the team in assists with 62, she also set a new freshman record when she dished out eight assists at the North Carolina State game.
"Leah has one of the best work ethics on the team," said Bennett. "She started real strong in the middle and really stepped up at the end of the season. She has to be more consistent with her outside shot and her passing too."
Hindered by nagging injuries last year, Kalli Kullberg is yet another guard that will add to the mix. Bennett says the key for Kullberg is for her to stay healthy.
"I have a lot of confidence that she will be like she was her freshman year before she got hurt," said Bennett. "I really think we are going to see her have a tremendous junior year. She is ready. She is a great competitor and she makes things happen. I am really excited about having her healthy."
Bennett also pointed to senior LeeAnn Stephenson as another player that needs to be healthy in order to help this year's team.
"If LeeAnn put a lot into her game this past summer, she can really help us out. We will need her to have a great senior year."
The team welcomes two freshmen, Nikki Smith ( Sylvania, Ohio) and Kelli Agness (Indianapolis, Ind.). Smith averaged 20.0 points per game as a junior. She also earned Associated Press special mention all-state and Northern Lakes League Player-of-the-Year honors for two consecutive years. Smith will be a very good complement to the young Hoosier post players due to her ability to shoot off the dribble and pass the ball. Bennett says Smith should see a lot of playing time at the guard position.
"Nikki has shown that physically she is the best freshman we've had come in," said Bennett. "The conditioning is a whole different level compared to high school. Not a lot of incoming freshman understand, but Nikki has a really good grasp of it. She has such a great feel for the game. She can pass as well as shoot, and we really need that. She is not just a three-point shooter, she can shoot it off the dribble, she can find open people. I have high hopes for her."
Agness becomes the first Hoosier walk-on ever in the Kathi Bennett era. Agness, a 5-4 guard from North Central High School, earned All-County and All-Conference accolades during her senior year en route to leading her team to a state title.
Bennett feels with all of these returners in addition to Smith and Agness, the Hoosiers will have an all around solid make-up of guards.
"We have the ability to have one of the best guard cores and measure up with anybody in the Big Ten. I am very excited about that."
FORWARDS
IU will lean on junior Angela Hawkins, last year's starting power forward, to continue her talent in rebounding and blocked shots at the forward position. Hawkins averaged 6.8 rpg and tallied 30 blocked shots in '03-04.
"Angela had a tremendous summer," said Bennett. "With this being her junior year, we are looking for big things from her. As an inside player, she holds one of the biggest keys for us because of her ability to get easy buckets. Her challenge is to become more fundamentally sound. We are looking for a huge season from her offensively and defensively."
The Hoosiers received great news from the NCAA this past summer when they found out sixth-year senior Jamie Gathing, one of the team's most vocal leaders would receive one more year of eligibility and play for Indiana for the upcoming season. Gathing, who sat out the 2001-02 and 2003-04 seasons due to medical redshirts will be hungry to get out on the court to help the Hoosiers to victory.
"Jamie is also our toughest competitor," said Bennett. "She hates to lose, and she always finds a way to win."
Sophomores Jamey Chapman and Carrie Smith and junior Brigett Branson are coming off serious injuries, but can make an impact if they can work hard to recover.
"Both Jamey and Carrie will be a little bit behind to start but will help out offensively," said Bennett. "Jamey can shoot right or left-handed and can do some things on the block. Her key is maintaining her strength. Carrie is similar in that she is very talented and smart. She is very smart and can pass the ball really well."
Bennett is also hoping that junior April Williams can step up her game and be an asset to the `04-05 squad.
"April has worked really hard over the past few years. She is so athletic and can help tremendously if she worked on understanding our concepts."
CENTER
The center position will remain in the capable hands of sophomore Sarah McKay. McKay set a new Indiana single-game freshman record with her seven-block performance in the regular season finale against Michigan State. With a total of 55 blocks on the year, she surpassed the previous single-season record of 47. McKay will be counted on to pose a huge threat underneath for the Hoosiers.
"If Sarah continues on how she ended the season in the conference tournament, we are on the verge of doing some good things," added Bennett. "The experience she earned this summer after playing for the Canadian National Team will really help her this year."
SCHEDULE
Indiana's schedule keeps getting better and better every year and this season is looking like one of the toughest yet. Featuring matchups with powerful teams such as Baylor, Arkansas and Maine, the Hoosiers will go up against some of the toughest competition the country has to offer.
"Our non-conference schedule is the toughest since I've been here without a doubt," said Bennett. "I think all of these games will definitely prepare us for our Big Ten season."
The Cream and Crimson will be tested early on with a road game at Baylor, a pre-season top-10 team.
"To open up at Baylor is going to be difficult," added Bennett. "They are extremely athletic, quick and strong. They are probaby the toughest opponent we have opened up with since I have been here."
Indiana will have no time to catch its breath before cracking into its challenging Big Ten schedule, as they have three straight road games at Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue, respectively.
"We start out with a bang as far as conference play," said Bennett. " Winning those early games and gaining confidence will be a huge factor. If we use our confidence and we sneak one of those out, anything can happen from then on."
The Hoosiers begin their season with an exhibition showdown with the Australian Institute of Sport on Monday, Nov. 8 at Assembly Hall. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.
