Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Wraps Up Regular Season at No. 21 Michigan State
2/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2014
| INDIANA (18-10, 5-10) at No. 21 MICHIGAN STATE (19-8, 12-3) |
|
| Date | March 2, 2014 |
| Time | 6 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center) |
| Television | Big Ten Network or BTN2Go.com Eric Collins, Vera Jones |
| Radio | WHCC 105.1 FM | Listen Online Greg Murray, play-by-play |
| Game Notes | Indiana Notes |
| Internet Coverage | Gametracker |
| Twitter | @IndianaWBB | @CurtMillerIUWBB |
THE OPENING TIP
Indiana heads to East Lansing, Mich. to take on No. 21 Michigan State in the Breslin Center on Sunday, March 2 at 6 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Eric Collins and Vera Jones announcing. Greg Murray will have the radio call on WHCC 105.1 FM.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Indiana's 18 wins this season marks the most victories for an IU team in a single year since the 2008-09 campaign.
• IU has won 18 or more games in a season 14 times and this year's 18 wins ties for the fourth highest total of wins in a single year in program history.
• This year's Indiana team now holds the school record for most 3-point field goals made in a season as IU has hit 215 this year, surpassing the previous record of 204 (1997-98). IU's 3-point field goal total also cracked the top 10 all time in Big Ten history as the Hoosiers rank 10th for most 3-pointers made in a season.
• Indiana's freshmen have combined to score 1,200 points so far this season which makes up 59.8 percent of IU's total points scored this year. Both of those totals rank better than any other Big Ten freshman class.
• First year players (freshmen, transfers, redshirt players) in the program have accounted for 76.1 percent of Indiana's total points scored so far this season.
• Larryn Brooks broke the IU freshman scoring record at Minnesota as she now has 456 points this season. The record was held for 34 years by Dorothy Reffel (454 points, 1979-80). Brooks also holds the freshman season record for most free throws made in a season (113), is second in 3-point field goals made (55) and fourth in assists in a season (129). She also holds Indiana freshman single game records in scoring (37), assists (10) and 3-pointers made (7).
• Freshman Alexis Gassion achieved her first career double-double at Minnesota (16 pts, 11 reb) and in her last seven games has averaged 14.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.0 spg and 1.0 bpg while shooting 82.4 percent from the line. In that stretch she's had four games of three or more 3-pointers made.
THE COACHES
Indiana
Curt Miller
Career Record: 287-121 (13th year)
Indiana record: 29-29 (2nd year)
Michigan State
Suzy Merchant
Career Record: 361-190 (19th year)
Michigan State Record: 160-70 (7th year)
MICHIGAN STATE AT A GLANCE
Michigan State is tied for first place in the Big Ten standings and a win on Sunday would clinch at least a share of the conference title for the Spartans. MSU is outscoring opponents by over 10 points per game and is outrebounding foes by a plus-7.1 margin. As a team, the Spartans shoot 45.0 percent from the field. A freshmen duo of Aerial Powers (13.5 ppg) and Tori Jankoska (12.6 ppg) lead the Michigan State offense. Powers also leads the team in rebounding with 7.9 rpg and steals with 1.9 spg. Jankoska paces the team in 3-point shooting (.376). Senior Annalise Pickrel scores 12.5 ppg with 7.1 rpg and leads the team in blocks. Becca Mills adds 9.9 ppg and shoots a team best 51.4 percent from the field as Kiana Johnson leads the team in assists and scores 8.4 ppg. Senior Klarissa Bell adds 8.0 ppg.
THE MILLER EFFECT
Through one year and 28 games, Curt Miller has taken an Indiana program that won just 15 games in the two years prior to his arrival to 29 wins since he became head coach at IU. The Hoosiers went 6-24 in 2011-12 and 9-20 in 2010-11. Under Miller, IU won 11 games last year and is currently 18-10 this season.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF 18
The Hoosiers currently have an 18-10 record on the season. Including this year's team, only 14 times in program history has an IU team won 18 or more games in a season and this year's 18 wins ties for the fourth highest total of wins for a single year in program history. Indiana needs three more wins to tie the school record for most victories in a single season.
MEETING MILESTONES
• IU's 18 victories ties for the fourth highest total number of wins in program history as the school record for most wins is 21 (1978-79, 1980-81, 1997-98, 2008-09).
• The 18 wins this season are the most for the program in a single season since the 2008-09 campaign (21-11) and is seven more wins than IU had a year ago.
• Indiana has more than doubled its Big Ten win total from a year ago.
• IU's five Big Ten wins are the most for the program in a single year since the 2009-10 season.
• The 14-0 record to begin the 2013-14 season was the best start ever in program history.
• IU's 14-game winning streak was the longest ever in school history.
• The Hoosiers were one of the last four remaining undefeated teams in the country and was the final Big Ten team with an unblemished record.
BEST FRESHMEN SCORERS IN THE BIG TEN
Indiana's freshman class has combined to score 1,200 points so far this season which leads all Big Ten freshman classes in 2013-14. IU rookies have accounted for 59.8 percent of the total points scored so far this year, the best percentage for a group of freshmen in the conference. Indiana's freshmen also rank among the top three freshmen groups nationally in points scored this year. Below is a breakdown of the top B1G freshman scoring classes.
MOST 3-POINTERS MADE IN SCHOOL HISTORY
With a Brooks 3-point field goal at the 7:27 mark of the second half against Illinois on Feb. 22, Indiana broke the program single season record for most 3-point field goals made in a season. IU has now hit 215 3-pointers this year. That total also ranks 10th all-time in the Big Ten for most 3-pointers made in a season. It marks just the second time in school history that an Indiana team has hit more than 200 3-pointers in a season and it breaks the previous record of 204 made 3-point field goals in 1997-98.
In three games this season, the Hoosiers have connected on 12 3-point field goals which ties for the second most 3-pointers made in a single game in school history. Prior to this season, only three times ever in the history of the program had an IU team hit 12 or more 3-pointers in a game. Indiana leads the Big Ten in 3-point field goals made per game (7.7). Ten times this year, IU has connected on 10 or more 3-pointers in a game. In Big Ten games only, the Hoosiers are hitting 8.3 3-point field goals per game. Through 14 conference games, IU has hit 54 more total 3-pointers than its opponent.
PROTECTING THE PUMPKIN
Indiana ranks first in the Big Ten and in the top 20 nationally in fewest turnovers per game, now averaging just 12.7 miscues each contest. Eight times this year, IU has committed less than 10 turnovers and the Hoosiers are 6-2 in those games. Ten times this season IU has had 10 or fewer turnovers, including a season low of four against Butler on Nov. 23.
HOME SWEET HOME
With Indiana's 79-61 win over Illinois on Feb. 22, the Hoosiers will finish the regular season with an 11-4 record in Assembly Hall, the program's most home regular season wins since the 2007-08 season. In IU's 15 home games this year, the Hoosiers outscored their opponents by 149 total points for a plus-9.9 scoring margin while averaging 75.1 points per game inside of Assembly Hall.
DEFENDING THE ARC
The Hoosiers rank 26th among Division I teams and first in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal defense limiting opponents to shoot 27.6 percent from beyond the arc. In 16 games this year, IU has limited foes to shoot 27.8 percent or lower from 3-point range and eight times have held opponents under 20.0 percent from long distance, including four times in Big Ten play. Indiana is third in the conference in fewest 3-point field goals allowed per game (5.0).
HIT THE GASSION PEDAL
Over her last seven games, freshman Alexis Gassion has averaged 14.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 82.4 percent from the free throw line and 35.9 percent from beyond the arc. During that span, she has scored in double figures five times, hit three or more 3-point field goals four times, has had three or more steals three times, has collected nine or more rebounds three times and has at least a block in every one of those games except one.
Last time out against Minnesota, Gassion achieved her first career double-double with 17 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds. For the season, she is averaging 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and has scored in double figures nine times and has skied for double digit rebounds three times. She currently ranks in the top 10 among Big Ten freshman in scoring (10th), rebounding (6th), blocks (6th) and assists (9th).
LARRYN LIGHTING IT UP
Freshman Larryn Brooks has had a stellar start to her Indiana career and has twice been named B1G Freshman of the Week. She ranks among the top freshmen nationally in free throw percentage (4th), assists (7th), total points (11th), points per game (12th), assist-turnover ratio (14th) and 3-point field goals made per game (22nd). Brooks ranks sixth overall in the Big Ten in scoring (16.3) and assists (4.6), tied for 10th in 3-point field goals made per game (2.0), 10th in assist-turnover ratio (1.4), 11th in 3-point field goal percentage (.379) and 12th free throw percentage (.819). In Big Ten games only, Brooks is averaging 5.7 assists per game.
With a free throw with 48 seconds left at Minnesota on Feb. 27, Brooks broke the IU freshman scoring record which was held for 34 years. She now has 456 points this season as she surpassed Dorothy Reffel's 454 points scored as a freshman in 1979-80. Brooks also holds the school freshman record for free throws made in a season with 113. She is second among all-time IU freshmen in 3-pointers made with 55 makes from beyond the arc and is ranked fourth in assists by an IU freshman with 129.
Brooks is the only freshman in school history to surpass 400 points, 100 made free throws, 100 assists and 50 made 3-pointers during a rookie season.
The Richmond, Ky., native has also set three IU freshman single game records this season:
• The first being her 37 points in the win over Virginia Tech on Dec. 4. Brooks shot 11-of-23 from the field, with four 3-point field goals and went 11-of-11 from the free throw line. She shattered a freshman record which stood for over 32 years and was held by Indiana's all-time career leading scorer, Denise Jackson, as she tallied 32 points against Michigan State on Feb. 13, 1981. The 37 points ties for the fifth best scoring game overall in IU history, the best output since Cindy Kerns scored 37 in 1999 and is the most points scored by any Big Ten player this season.
• She also set a freshman school mark hitting 7-of-9 3-point field goals against Milwaukee on Dec. 11, which also ties for the third-most made all-time in a single game at Indiana. She finished with 27 points in that game.
• Brooks dished for 10 assists two times against Minnesota on Jan. 19 and at Illinois on Feb. 2, which set a freshman record for most assists in a single game.
