Indiana University Athletics
IU Takes On Cincinnati In Fifth-Straight Road Game
12/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2005
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HOOSIER HEADLINES
• Indiana (5-4) embarks on its fifth-straight road game as it takes on Cincinnati (6-1) on Saturday, Dec. 17, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tip off time is set for 2 p.m. (EST). The game can be heard locally on WHCC-FM 105.1 with Jeremy Gray calling all the action. Fans can also follow the game on Gametracker on IUHOOSIERS.com
• The Bearcats are undefeated at home this season, and also hold the nation's largest rebounding margin (+17.7).
• This will be the seventh meeting between IU and Cincinnati, with the Hoosiers holding a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams have not met since the 1998-99 season when Indiana won, 61-51 on Nov. 13, 1998 in Bloomington.
CINCINNATI AT A GLANCE
Cincinnati is undefeated at home this season and owns a 6-1 record overall. Its only loss this season came against Xavier, 87-60, on Nov. 30. In its last outing, UC defeated Texas-Arlington, 73-61, in Cincinnati. Junior guard Treasure Humphries led the way with 23 points, and six assists.
The Bearcats, who are riding a three-game winning streak, rank No. 1 nationally in rebounding margin (+17.7) and are averaging 73.3 points per game.
The Bearcats' squad features three players in double figures in Humphries (14.0), and freshmen forwards Shelly Bellman (10.6), and Michelle Jones (10.0.). Bellman also leads the team in rebounds with 6.3 per game.
A former Big Ten athlete at Ohio State (1976-80), Laurie Pirtle is in her 20th year as head coach of Cincinnati. Pirtle is the winningest coach in UC history and currently owns an overall record of 367-292. Prior to her arrival at Cincinnati, Pirtle spent four years as the head coach at Capital University.
WHAT IT MEANS
An Indiana win would...
• Mark its third straight this season
• Move its record to 4-1 on the road
• Give the Hoosiers a 5-2 advantage in the all-time series against the Bearcats
• Hand Cincinnati its first loss at home this season
•Mark its first win over a BIG EAST opponent since Dec. 7, 2003 when it defeated Georgetown, 72-62.
THE STREAK STARTS AGAIN
Already the school record holder (men or women) for consecutive free throws made (48), senior Cyndi Valentin is at it again, as she has made 27-straight shots from the foul line this season, which currently ranks third in the record books. Most recently, she went 11-for-11 from the line against Boston University on Dec. 10, which is the second-highest effort for the senior guard. Valentin went 12-for-12 last year against Maine on Dec. 10, 2004. The Bloomington, Ind., native ranks seventh in the nation in free throw percentage with an average of .956 (43-for-45).
ABOVE .500
For the first time this season, the Hoosiers are above the .500 mark with a 5-4 overall record. Indiana has not been at or above the .500 clip since midway through last season (Jan. 20, 2004) when they were 8-8 on the year, following a loss to then-No. 3/4 Ohio State.
BARELY IN BLOOMINGTON
IU has spent very little time in its own home town this season. With four-straight road games and a neutral site matchup, Indiana has yet to play on its home court at all in the month of December. The Hoosiers have not played five consecutive regular season away games since the 2000-01 season (Dec.1-Dec. 28) During that stretch, IU played at three tournaments: the Houston Classic in Houston, Texas, the Dodge Shootout in Tampa, Fla., the Beach Classic in Long Beach, Calif., and then took on Ohio State in Columbus.
DOMINATING THE DEFENSIVE BOARDS
Thanks to the help of Jenny DeMuth (5.67 per game), Angela Hawkins (4.56 per game) and Whitney Thomas (4.33 per game), the Hoosiers rank first in defensive rebounds in the conference, with 28.44 per contest. Last season IU finished seventh in the Big Ten with 24.21 defensive rebounds per contest.
ON THE VERGE OF 100 BLOCKS
Senior Angela Hawkins is one block shy of recording her 100th career block. She will become just the fifth player in school history to accomplish such a feat. Quacy Barnes (269), Jill Chapman (197), Denise Jackson (135) and Sue Hodges (126) are the only other Hoosiers to record over 100 blocks during their career.
ROAD WARRIORS
With three wins on the road this year, the Hoosiers have already matched their total road wins from last season. The single-season record for road wins is nine, which was set in 1978-79. In the last five years, IU produced its most road wins (five) during the 2000-01 season.
THE CYNDI AND JENNY SHOW
Seniors Jenny DeMuth and Cyndi Valentin have accounted for team-high points for 10-straight games, dating back to last season. On the year, Valentin has produced the highest scoring output in six games, while DeMuth has held the honor three times.
SOLID SMITH
Sophomore guard Nikki Smith set a new career-high in points, when she went 5-for-7 from three points range to finish with 17 points againt Eastern Michigan on Dec. 7.
Her sharp-three point shooting has put her at tied for third in the conference with a clip of .463 (19-for-41).
In addition, she corralled a career-high five rebounds in her first collegiate start against the Lady Bears. Smith has made vast improvement from last season, as she saw action in 18 games and averaged only 1.8 ppg.
MOVING ON UP
Seniors Jenny DeMuth, Angela Hawkins, Cyndi Valentin and junior Sarah McKay have already etched their names and are on the rise in the IU record books this season.
Valentin, who already holds the school and Big Ten record for career free-throw percentage (.882), is also on track to move into the top-five all-time scoring list in her final season with the Hoosiers. The Bloomington, Ind., native currently sits at ninth overall in the all-time scoring list with 1,321 points.
DeMuth is not too far behind her, sitting in at No. 12 with 1,226 career points. DeMuth also sits at second in free throw attempts (557), second in free-throws made (418), fourth in steals (178) and eighth in blocked shots (68). The Highland, Ind., native needs just 26 free throws to become IU's all-time leader in career free-throws made.
In addition, Hawkins and McKay are up and coming on Indiana's all-time blocked shot lists with 99 and 81, respectively. Hawkins also ranks seventh in career rebounding (667).
NEXT GAME
Indiana is home for the first time in the month of December when it hosts its final non-conference foe of the 2005-06 season, North Florida on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at Branch McCracken at Assembly Hall. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. and can be heard locally on WHCC FM 105.1, with Jeremy Gray calling all the action. Fans can also follow the game on Gametracker on IUHOOSIERS.com.
