Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Host EMU (12-15-04)
12/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
QUICK HITS
Indiana (5-3) will look to be a spolier this weekend when it faces an undefeated Eastern Michigan (8-0) on Saturday, Dec. 18. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (EST).
This will be the first meeting between Indiana and Eastern Michigan.
The Hoosiers are coming off two road-trip wins this past weekend over Maine, 67-59 and Boston, 62-60.
Big Ten Player of the Week, Cyndi Valentin had a stellar week for the Hoosiers, highlighted by a career-high 30 points against Indiana State. On the week, the 5-foot-8 guard shot .658 (25-of-38) from the field, including an impressive .714 (10-of-14) clip from beyond the arc, and averaged 6.7 rebounds per game as well.
ON THE AIR
The game will be broadcast on 105.1 WHCC Radio Bloomington with Jeremy Gray calling all the action. Fans can also access the broadcast via the IU website, iuhoosiers.com. Click on broadcasts on the left hand side and sign up to listen to the game.
A GLANCE AT THE EAGLES
One of the 10 remaining undefeated teams in the nation, the Eastern Michigan Eagles enter Saturday's game against Indiana with an unblemished 8-0 record. Its most recent win was over Youngstown State, 87-62. EMU is also receiving votes in the latest ESPN/WBCA (12/13-12/19) Poll.
The Eagles have dominated almost all of their opponents, defeating teams by an average of 19.5 points.
Senior guard Ryan Coleman and junior forward Nikki Knapp are the top scoring threats for EMU, averaging 17.5 and 10.8 points a game, respectively.
Knapp is also the team's leading rebounder with an average of 7.8 per game.
Suzy Merchant is in the midst of her seventh season at the helm of the Eagles program. In 2003-04, Merchant became the first female coach at Eastern Michigan University to win a Mid-American Conference title en route to earning the MAC Coach of the Year. She has posted an overall record of 99-74 while with the Eagles. The Dearborn, Mich., native served as the head coach of Saginaw Valley State University from 1995-1998 before coming to EMU.
DYNAMIC DEFENSE
Indiana's stifling defense has put them second in two categories among Big Ten Conference teams in scoring defense and field goal percent defense. The Hoosier defense has only allowed opponents to score an average of 51.6 points per game. In addition, over the course of eight games, IU has only allowed opponents average .326 percent from the field with a 140-for-430 shooting effort.
Blocks are another strong point for the Cream and Crimson as they rank fifth in the conference with 4.38 per game. Sarah McKay has stopped the most shots for the Hoosiers with 16 on the year (2.00 per game).
GATHING GEARED UP
After sitting out the 2000-01 and 2003-04 seasons due to medical redshirts, Indiana senior Jamie Gathing received her sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA office this past summer and is back in action for the Hoosiers for the 2004-05 season.
Gathing has gotten the starting nod in all eight of IU's games and currently averages 6.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. She most recently netted a career-high 14 points on Dec. 12 at Boston University.
Gathing was also named to the Hampton Inn Classic All-Tournament Team on Nov. 28 and garnered the tournament MVP honor.
NEARING A MILESTONE
With just 9 more wins this season, Head Coach Kathi Bennett will have 300 career wins. The fifth-year head coach has compiled a record of 67-60 while in Bloomington. Here is a look at how her wins have added up over her 16 years as a head coach:
1988-88 Marycrest 18 wins
1989-96 Wis. Oshkosh 155 wins
1996-00 Evansville 51 wins
2000-present Indiana 67 wins
Total 291 wins
OFF THE BENCH BOYD
Sophomore forward Annika Boyd has been one of the most productive Hoosiers off the bench during the IU's first eight contests.
Perhaps Boyd's best game this season was when she notched a career-high 15 points in IU's four-point win over Louisville, 61-57 on Dec. 3. She also came up big for the Hoosiers down the stretch, connecting on key baskets to keep the Indiana alive.
Boyd was key for the Hoosiers when they played Belmont as well, as she came off the bench to score a game-high 11 points.
The Minneapolis, Minn., native is currently averaging 6.3 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
NEXT GAME
Up next for Indiana is a home game against Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday, Dec. 22. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on WHCC (105.1) with Jeremy Gray calling all of the action.
Indiana (5-3) will look to be a spolier this weekend when it faces an undefeated Eastern Michigan (8-0) on Saturday, Dec. 18. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (EST).
This will be the first meeting between Indiana and Eastern Michigan.
The Hoosiers are coming off two road-trip wins this past weekend over Maine, 67-59 and Boston, 62-60.
Big Ten Player of the Week, Cyndi Valentin had a stellar week for the Hoosiers, highlighted by a career-high 30 points against Indiana State. On the week, the 5-foot-8 guard shot .658 (25-of-38) from the field, including an impressive .714 (10-of-14) clip from beyond the arc, and averaged 6.7 rebounds per game as well.
ON THE AIR
The game will be broadcast on 105.1 WHCC Radio Bloomington with Jeremy Gray calling all the action. Fans can also access the broadcast via the IU website, iuhoosiers.com. Click on broadcasts on the left hand side and sign up to listen to the game.
A GLANCE AT THE EAGLES
One of the 10 remaining undefeated teams in the nation, the Eastern Michigan Eagles enter Saturday's game against Indiana with an unblemished 8-0 record. Its most recent win was over Youngstown State, 87-62. EMU is also receiving votes in the latest ESPN/WBCA (12/13-12/19) Poll.
The Eagles have dominated almost all of their opponents, defeating teams by an average of 19.5 points.
Senior guard Ryan Coleman and junior forward Nikki Knapp are the top scoring threats for EMU, averaging 17.5 and 10.8 points a game, respectively.
Knapp is also the team's leading rebounder with an average of 7.8 per game.
Suzy Merchant is in the midst of her seventh season at the helm of the Eagles program. In 2003-04, Merchant became the first female coach at Eastern Michigan University to win a Mid-American Conference title en route to earning the MAC Coach of the Year. She has posted an overall record of 99-74 while with the Eagles. The Dearborn, Mich., native served as the head coach of Saginaw Valley State University from 1995-1998 before coming to EMU.
DYNAMIC DEFENSE
Indiana's stifling defense has put them second in two categories among Big Ten Conference teams in scoring defense and field goal percent defense. The Hoosier defense has only allowed opponents to score an average of 51.6 points per game. In addition, over the course of eight games, IU has only allowed opponents average .326 percent from the field with a 140-for-430 shooting effort.
Blocks are another strong point for the Cream and Crimson as they rank fifth in the conference with 4.38 per game. Sarah McKay has stopped the most shots for the Hoosiers with 16 on the year (2.00 per game).
GATHING GEARED UP
After sitting out the 2000-01 and 2003-04 seasons due to medical redshirts, Indiana senior Jamie Gathing received her sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA office this past summer and is back in action for the Hoosiers for the 2004-05 season.
Gathing has gotten the starting nod in all eight of IU's games and currently averages 6.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. She most recently netted a career-high 14 points on Dec. 12 at Boston University.
Gathing was also named to the Hampton Inn Classic All-Tournament Team on Nov. 28 and garnered the tournament MVP honor.
NEARING A MILESTONE
With just 9 more wins this season, Head Coach Kathi Bennett will have 300 career wins. The fifth-year head coach has compiled a record of 67-60 while in Bloomington. Here is a look at how her wins have added up over her 16 years as a head coach:
1988-88 Marycrest 18 wins
1989-96 Wis. Oshkosh 155 wins
1996-00 Evansville 51 wins
2000-present Indiana 67 wins
Total 291 wins
OFF THE BENCH BOYD
Sophomore forward Annika Boyd has been one of the most productive Hoosiers off the bench during the IU's first eight contests.
Perhaps Boyd's best game this season was when she notched a career-high 15 points in IU's four-point win over Louisville, 61-57 on Dec. 3. She also came up big for the Hoosiers down the stretch, connecting on key baskets to keep the Indiana alive.
Boyd was key for the Hoosiers when they played Belmont as well, as she came off the bench to score a game-high 11 points.
The Minneapolis, Minn., native is currently averaging 6.3 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
NEXT GAME
Up next for Indiana is a home game against Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday, Dec. 22. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on WHCC (105.1) with Jeremy Gray calling all of the action.
Players Mentioned
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