Indiana University Athletics
IU Set to Face Eastern Michigan on the Road
12/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2005
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HOOSIER HEADLINES
• Indiana (3-4) will have little time to rest as it takes on its fourth-straight road opponent on Wednesday, Dec. 7, when it travels to Ypsilanti, Mich., to play Eastern Michigan (2-3). Tip off time is set for 6 p.m. (EST) and can be heard locally on WHCC FM 105.1 with Jeremy Gray calling all the action.
• IU has not had four-consecutive away games since the 1987-88 season when they played at Louisville (Jan. 4), Ohio State (Jan. 8), Michigan State (Jan. 15), and Michigan (Jan. 17).
• The Hoosiers and Eagles met for the first time last season, with Indiana claiming the 56-42 win in Bloomington on Dec. 18, 2004.
EASTERN MICHIGAN AT A GLANCE
Eastern Michigan returns to the court after a 10-day lay off and looks to rebound from its three-game losing streak. EMU most recently fell to Idaho State, 78-61 on Nov. 27. The Eagles are 2-3 overall with wins coming over Central Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Junior forward Sarah Vanmetre and senior forward Nikki Knapp are the top scoring threats for EMU, averaging 13.0 and 10.2 points a game, respectively. Vanmetre is also the team's leading rebounder with an average of 8.4 per game. Also helping the Eagles' out this season is sophomore guard Canea Williams, who has a team-high 13 steals on the year and ranks third in scoring with 9.6 ppg.
Suzy Merchant is in the midst of her eighth season at the helm of the Eagles program. In 2004-05, the Eagles recorded the program's first back-to-back 20-win seasons, posting a school-best 23 victories en route to earning the program's first-ever postseason WNIT Tournament bid. Merchant's squad received votes in the ESPN/USA Today/WBCA national poll for the first time in school history. The Dearborn, Mich., native served as the head coach of Saginaw Valley State University from 1995-1998 before coming to EMU.
THE CYNDI AND JENNY SHOW
Seniors Jenny DeMuth and Cyndi Valentin have accounted for team-high points for eight-straight games, dating back to last season. On the year, Valentin has produced the highest scoring output in five games, while DeMuth has held the honor twice.
DOUBLE UP
Senior Jenny DeMuth notched two consecutive double doubles over the weekend, bringing her season total to three. She put up 13 points, 14 rebounds against Southern Illinois on Dec. 2 and 19 points, 13 rebounds vs. Louisville on Dec. 4.
When analyzing double-doubles, DeMuth leads the team with 13 total in her career, which ranks tied for eighth in the record books. Hawkins is second on the team with eight. IU great Denise Jackson holds the school record for the most in a career with 63.
When DeMuth (20 points, 11 rebounds), and freshman Whitney Thomas (14 points, 12 rebounds) notched double-doubles against then-No. 13/15 Notre Dame, it marked the first time since the 2002-03 season that two Hoosiers contributed double-doubles. Ironically, DeMuth (15 points, 11 rebounds) was part of that along with Hawkins (10 points, 13 rebounds). The feat happened on Nov. 26, 2002 against Eastern Kentucky.
FEELING IT FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Head Coach Sharon Versyp has stressed the importance of getting to the free throw line and connecting on these opportunities all season long. The Hoosiers have been productive from the charity stripe through its first seven games, as they have gone 105-139 (.755). This number ranks first among other Big Ten teams for the second-straight week.
When looking at a player-by-player breakdown of how Indiana has fared at the foul line with five minutes or less remaining in the game, the Hoosiers have only missed on free throw and hold a .952 shooting percentage from the charity stripe in the closing minutes.
FRESHMAN SENSATION
Freshman forward Whitney Thomas has not let first-game jitters get to her Hoosier debut. She currently ranks second on the team in rebounding (7.0 rpg) and fifth in scoring (5.7 ppg). She also is the highest-ranked freshman among Big Ten Players in rebounding, as she ranks tied for ninth.
Most recently, she grabbed 10 rebounds, which was her second double-digit rebounding effort this season, against Louisville on Dec. 4. She also recorded a double-double of 14 points, 12 rebounds against Notre Dame on Nov. 23 and, despite fouling out with 10 minutes left in the game against Baylor, Thomas still managed score six points and grabbing five rebounds. The Bloomington, Ind., native has started all seven of IU's games this season.
SOLID SMITH
Sophomore guard Nikki Smith earned her first career start against then-No. 5/6 Baylor and she has been a pretty big contributor for the Hoosiers. The Sylvania, Ohio, product set a new career-high in points, when she went 5-of-8 from three points range to finish with 15 points againt Belmont on Nov. 29. She also corralled a career-high five rebounds in her first 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.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TIME
Tickets for the 2005 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament on March 2-6 at Conseco Fieldhouse are on sale now through the IU ticket office. Call 1-866-IUSPORTS for more information or check out the tournament website on bigten.org.
NEXT GAME
Indiana hosts Boston University at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Ind., on Saturday, Dec. 10 as part of a double-header with the IU men's team. The IU men take on Kentucky at 3:45 p.m., followed by the women who take the court 45 minutes after the completion of the men's game. The game can be heard locally on WHCC FM 105.1, with Jeremy Gray calling all the action.
