Indiana University Athletics
IU Ready For Early Tests in Preseason WNIT
11/12/2015 9:36:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Teri Moren wanted more out of her non-conference schedule. The second-year Indiana head coach wanted a challenge, something that would prove how strong her team is right away.
She got it.
Indiana will host Tennessee State at noon ET Friday at Assembly Hall in the opening round of the Preseason WNIT for the right to play the winner of the Chattanooga-McNeese State matchup. The 16-team tournament field features 10 teams who advanced to postseason play last season including the Tigers, who qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
"That's what we wanted to do with the schedule is really challenge ourselves and put ourselves in a position where we were going to play teams with postseason experience," Moren said. "We're really excited we have an opportunity to play in the WNIT and we hope that we'll be in it and continue to advance in each game because each game is going to be a little bit harder. Then we'll really get a good snapshot of where we are."
The tournament format should give Indiana some much-needed experience playing in an elimination-style field. Of the 11 players on IU's roster, only four were a part of the Hoosiers' Postseason WNIT Tournament run two years ago. Seven were on last year's Big Ten Tournament team.
Though each participating team is guaranteed three games, the intensity of a win-or-go-home tournament can't be simulated. On top of that, the game also doubles as Indiana's home and regular-season opener, which usually draws added interest and excitement to begin with.
"It's the preseason WNIT Tournament, you know? It's a big tournament for us," sophomore guard Tyra Buss said. "It will definitely help us moving forward playing tougher teams like this."
Tennessee State went 18-13 last season and won the Ohio Valley Conference title for the first time in 20 years before losing to Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Tigers return only two starters from last year's team, including junior I'mani Davis who averaged 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Brianna Lawrence, the team's lone senior and other top-returner, averaged 8.9 points per game while knocking down a team-best 46 3-pointers.
Moren said scouting opponents this early in the season can be tricky, especially with teams like Tennessee State that are facing quite a bit of turnover. Based on the little film they have to study, she said she expects the Tigers to be quick in transition, attack the glass and use their athleticism to push the tempo.
"So it's really going to be about us taking care of the tempo in which we want to play," Moren said. "We want to play fast too. That doesn't mean we're not going to just because they can play fast or maybe even faster. We've got to play fast and under control."
Moren said she expects all 10 eligible players on her roster to play early and often this season with the exception of sophomore guard Jess Walter. Moren said Walter is "on the upswing" after suffering a practice injury before Hoosier Hysteria, but she's not expected to play against Tennessee State
Even though Friday's game is a part of a tournament, Indiana is still in the developmental stage of the season.
By no means will Moren expect to see IU playing its best basketball in the second week of November, but she said she hopes to continue to build the things the Hoosiers did well in their preseason win against Slippery Rock and keep fighting through the tournament as long as they can.
"It's nice that we have a team like Tennessee State that's coming in here that just came off an NCAA Tournament," Moren said. "To open up with an NCAA Tournament opponent is really important and exciting for our group because that's what we aspire to do."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Teri Moren wanted more out of her non-conference schedule. The second-year Indiana head coach wanted a challenge, something that would prove how strong her team is right away.
She got it.
Indiana will host Tennessee State at noon ET Friday at Assembly Hall in the opening round of the Preseason WNIT for the right to play the winner of the Chattanooga-McNeese State matchup. The 16-team tournament field features 10 teams who advanced to postseason play last season including the Tigers, who qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
"That's what we wanted to do with the schedule is really challenge ourselves and put ourselves in a position where we were going to play teams with postseason experience," Moren said. "We're really excited we have an opportunity to play in the WNIT and we hope that we'll be in it and continue to advance in each game because each game is going to be a little bit harder. Then we'll really get a good snapshot of where we are."
The tournament format should give Indiana some much-needed experience playing in an elimination-style field. Of the 11 players on IU's roster, only four were a part of the Hoosiers' Postseason WNIT Tournament run two years ago. Seven were on last year's Big Ten Tournament team.
Though each participating team is guaranteed three games, the intensity of a win-or-go-home tournament can't be simulated. On top of that, the game also doubles as Indiana's home and regular-season opener, which usually draws added interest and excitement to begin with.
"It's the preseason WNIT Tournament, you know? It's a big tournament for us," sophomore guard Tyra Buss said. "It will definitely help us moving forward playing tougher teams like this."
Tennessee State went 18-13 last season and won the Ohio Valley Conference title for the first time in 20 years before losing to Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Tigers return only two starters from last year's team, including junior I'mani Davis who averaged 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Brianna Lawrence, the team's lone senior and other top-returner, averaged 8.9 points per game while knocking down a team-best 46 3-pointers.
Moren said scouting opponents this early in the season can be tricky, especially with teams like Tennessee State that are facing quite a bit of turnover. Based on the little film they have to study, she said she expects the Tigers to be quick in transition, attack the glass and use their athleticism to push the tempo.
"So it's really going to be about us taking care of the tempo in which we want to play," Moren said. "We want to play fast too. That doesn't mean we're not going to just because they can play fast or maybe even faster. We've got to play fast and under control."
Moren said she expects all 10 eligible players on her roster to play early and often this season with the exception of sophomore guard Jess Walter. Moren said Walter is "on the upswing" after suffering a practice injury before Hoosier Hysteria, but she's not expected to play against Tennessee State
Even though Friday's game is a part of a tournament, Indiana is still in the developmental stage of the season.
By no means will Moren expect to see IU playing its best basketball in the second week of November, but she said she hopes to continue to build the things the Hoosiers did well in their preseason win against Slippery Rock and keep fighting through the tournament as long as they can.
"It's nice that we have a team like Tennessee State that's coming in here that just came off an NCAA Tournament," Moren said. "To open up with an NCAA Tournament opponent is really important and exciting for our group because that's what we aspire to do."
Players Mentioned
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