Indiana University Athletics
IU Set to Host Rice in WNIT Second Round Action
3/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 16, 2006
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HOOSIER HEADLINES
• The Indiana women's basketball team (17-13; 9-7) has been selected to participate in the 2006 Women's National Invitation Tournament, the WNIT committee announced on March 14. The Hoosiers, who advanced to the semifinals of the 2006 Big Ten Tournament will host Rice in the second round of action on March 18 at 2 p.m. at Branch McCracken Court at Assembly Hall. 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 Gametrack on IUHOOSIERS.com
• Indiana is making its fourth appearance in the WNIT and its first since the 2000-01 season.
INDIANA IN THE WNIT
The Hoosiers are 5-3 in WNIT play and earned its highest finish in 1991 after capturing a runner-up finish. Below is a breakdown of IU's all-time WNIT success.
1991*
Indiana 110, UAB 71 (quarterfinals)
Indiana 80, Houston 76 (semifinals)
Santa Clara 71, Indiana 68 (finals)
1998
Indiana 80, Xavier 74 (first round)
Indiana 61, Toledo 60 (quarterfinals)
Penn State 70, Indiana 42 (semifinals)
2001
Indiana 66, Middle Tennessee 63 (first round)
Western Kentucky 64, Indiana 63 (quarterfinals)
*=then called the NWIT
SCOUTING RICE
The Owls (18-13, 11-5), who finished runner-up in Conference USA, are coming off a 64-48 victory over Jackson State in the first round of the WNIT on Wednesday, March 15 at Rice. Rice has won 11 of its last 12 games, including a nine-game streak before its loss to Tulsa in the C-USA championship. The Owls played in the WNIT in 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2004, advancing to the third round in 1999.
Junior forward Lauren Neaves leads the Owls in scoring and rebounding, as she averages 16.1 ppg and 10.9 rpg. She recorded her 18th double-double of the year against Jackson State with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore guard Kadie Riverin is second on the team in scoring (9.6 ppg) and first in assists (3.8 apg). She notched 20 points and had five assists in Rice's win over the Tigers.
Rice head coach Greg Williams is in his first season at the helm of the Owl program. He has compiled an overall record of 219-152 in 13 season as a head coach and a 18-13 ledger at Rice. Williams graduated from Rice in 1970 and has previous collegiate head coaching experience at Colorado State and the University of Houston. He is a native of Portland, Ind.
VERSYP MAKING HER MARK
Under first year head coach Sharon Versyp's guidance, the Hoosiers have tripled their Big Ten win total from a season ago with nine conference wins, and they finished the season with a winning record for the first time in three years. Versyp is one of just three active Big Ten coaches to earn a winning record in their first year as head coach following a losing season prior to their arrival. Iowa's Lisa Bluder took over a 9-18 Hawkeye program in 2000-01 to finish 21-10 overall that year, while Ohio State's Jim Foster went 22-10 in 2002-03 after taking over the team that finished 14-15 the year before.
Versyp has made IU history as well. The school record for a one-year turnaround by a first-year head coach is 10, set Kathi Bennett in 2000-01. Versyp is second with seven more wins then the previous year.
MOVING ON UP
Seniors Jenny DeMuth, Angela Hawkins, Cyndi Valentin and junior Sarah McKay are on the rise in the IU record books this season.
Valentin, who recently broke her own school record and already holds the school and Big Ten record for career free-throw percentage (.884), is on pace to finish her career among the top five scorers in IU history. The Bloomington, Ind., native currently sits at sixth overall in the all-time scoring list with 1,1702 points, third in three-pointers made (168), fourth in free-throws made (388) and fifth in career free throws attempted (439), and three-pointers attempted (461).
DeMuth is not too far behind in career scoring, sitting in at eighth with 1,494 career points. DeMuth also sits at eighth in blocked shots (81), and seventh in rebounding (750).
In addition, Hawkins and McKay are up and coming on Indiana's all-time blocked shot lists with 123 and 82, respectively. Hawkins also ranks fifth in career rebounding (781). To the right is a tracking of all of these student-athletes in their respective categories.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT RECAP
The No. 6 seed Indiana advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament for the third time in school history after defeating No. 11 seed Michigan, 61-48, and No. 3 seed Minnesota, 61-46. The Hoosiers were eventually knocked out of the tournament after falling to No. 2 seed Purdue, 61-47 in the semifinals. Cyndi Valentin was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team.
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING
Seven Hoosiers have reached double-digit scoring at least once throughout the season. Cyndi Valentin has recorded the most with 26, while Jenny DeMuth has 24, Nikki Smith has nine, Angela Hawkins has eight, Whitney Thomas has seven, and Carrie Smith and Sarah McKay have one. Valentin holds the longest double-figure scoring streak this season, as she scored in double-figures for 16 straight games dating from Nov. 25- Jan. 22.
UP NEXT
Should the Hoosiers win against Rice, they will take on the winner of the Eastern Michigan vs. Indiana State game. The game will be played on March 19-21. Game time and site is to be announced.
