Indiana University Athletics
IU Suffers First Home Defeat of Season to PSU
1/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Juniors Cyndi Valentin and Angela Hawkins led the Hoosiers on the day scoring 32 of IU's 44 points. Valentin scored 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while Hawkins recorded her seventh double double of her career and first of the season chipping in 14 points and a season-high 11 rebounds.
Tanisha Wright led Penn State with 20 points, with Jennifer Harris chipping in 15.
"I felt that today we just got to a point when we let down. That is what I think brought us down more than anything in the game today," said Head Coach Kathi Bennett.
After hitting 10-of-24 shots in the first half for 45.8 percent, IU struggled from the field in the second half hitting just six of 27 shots for 28.6 percent, including missing seven of eight three pointers.
Indiana started out the first half on fire hitting four of its first five shots to race to an early 8-0 lead behind five points from Valentin and three from Stephenson.
"We need to get tougher mentally more than anything," said Bennett. "We have been working hard on our conditioning and the physical aspects of the game, but we need to lean how to withstand [the ups-and-downs of the game]."
With IU up by three at 10-7, the Hoosiers went on a 7-0 run over the next five minutes to extend its lead to 10, 17-7.
Leading by seven at 18-11, Penn State responded with a 10-4 run over the next four minutes to bring the Lady Lions back within one at 22-21.
Penn State came charging back and went on an 11-4 run and tied the score at 22, as Jess Strom hit one of two free throws with 3:37 remaining in the first half. The Lady Lions took their first lead of the game at 24-22 on the next trip down the court on a lay up by Amanda Brown.
With Penn State up by four at 26-22, Hawkins broke a four-minute scoring drought with an unconventional three-point play to bring IU back within one, 26-25.
After two free throws by Brown, Indiana went into the half time trailing by three, 28-25. In the first half, Valentin led the Hoosiers with 12 points, while Hawkins grabbed nine of the team's 13 first half rebounds.
The Hoosiers started the second half cold hitting just three of their first 12 shots during the first eight minutes of action.
After a Harris jumper gave Penn State an eight-point lead, Amber Bland extended the Lady Lions lead to double-digits at 41-31 with another jumper forcing IU to a timeout with 14:32 remaining.
Valentin broke a three-minute scoring drought by IU with a jumper to bring Indiana back within 10 at 43-33.
After a basket and a free throw by Hawkins brought Indiana back with seven at 43-36, Penn State responded with eight straight points, six by Wright to extended its lead to 15 at 51-36 with 7:43 left.
Penn State pushed its lead to 20, 60-40,with 3:30 remaining in the second half after two free throws by Adrienne Squire.
Up by 18 at 60-42, Harris hit Penn State's first three point of the game with 2:02 remaining in the game to give them a 63-42 lead. Each team then traded baskets in the final two minutes.
The Hoosiers return to action on Thursday, Jan. 20, when they play host to fifth-ranked Ohio State at 7 p.m. at Assembly Hall.
Game Notes: Valentin now stands just eight points away from becoming the 19th player in IU school history to score 1,000 career points. Hawkins recorded her first double-double of the season and seventh of her career.
