Indiana University Athletics
IU Defense Does Enough To Slow Banham
2/19/2016 11:42:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - There aren't many scenarios where a head coach is pleased after her defense allows an opposing player to drop 29 points.
Rachel Banham is an exception.
The senior guard for Minnesota scored 29 points on 9-of-23 shooting in a losing effort Thursday night at Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers pestered her just enough to keep her from taking over during crunch time to pick up a fifth consecutive Big Ten win, 93-79.
"I don't care if Banham had what, 29 points?" sophomore guard Tyra Buss said. "It was a tough 29 points."
Credit junior guard Alexis Gassion for the brunt of that work. Junior Tyshee Towner chipped in too in a more limited role, but Gassion knew from the beginning she'd be the one chasing around Minnesota's versatile scorer averaging more than 26 points per game.
"My coaches have a lot of confidence in me," Gassion said. "They know I'm athletic and they know I do a good job of pressuring and contesting shots. I've really been trying to work on that when we practice against the boy squad in practices. I think that really prepared me for Rachel Banham."
Said Buss: "Not only do the coaches have a lot of confidence in her, we have a lot of confidence in her. We were so proud of Lex tonight."
Indiana wasn't going to stop Banham. Nobody has.
The 5-foot-9 fifth-year senior dropped 60, 32 and 35 points in her previous three games heading into Assembly Hall. Her final shot before heading to Bloomington was a 3-pointer as time expired to push the Golden Gophers ahead in a dramatic win over Iowa.
Indiana's plan heading into the game was to trap every ball screen Banham was curling off of, which is a sound enough strategy. The problem is she doesn't always need it, and it showed during stretches where she'd put her head down and get to the rim seemingly at will.
After being held to nine points in the opening half, 10 third-quarter points appeared to signal Banham's emergence. Five quick points in the opening minute of the fourth quarter cut the Hoosiers' lead to just six points with Banham showing no sign of slowing up.
But just before Banham could settle into a groove, Gassion forced her back out of it.
She ended the game with a missed layup, a missed jumper and then a pair of turnovers while the Hoosiers sealed the win with free throws on the other end.
"You're just trying to keep her in front of you as much as you can," head coach Teri Moren said. "Crowd her and make her take difficult shots. And I thought there were moments when we did."
Throughout the game, junior guard Karlee McBride kept saying "(Banham) can't get anything, she can't get anything." It was only hyperbole than anything else. After all, she was the game's leading scorer.
But it could have been worse. Just go ask Northwestern, Nebraska, Iowa or any of the other teams she's burned.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - There aren't many scenarios where a head coach is pleased after her defense allows an opposing player to drop 29 points.
Rachel Banham is an exception.
The senior guard for Minnesota scored 29 points on 9-of-23 shooting in a losing effort Thursday night at Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers pestered her just enough to keep her from taking over during crunch time to pick up a fifth consecutive Big Ten win, 93-79.
"I don't care if Banham had what, 29 points?" sophomore guard Tyra Buss said. "It was a tough 29 points."
Credit junior guard Alexis Gassion for the brunt of that work. Junior Tyshee Towner chipped in too in a more limited role, but Gassion knew from the beginning she'd be the one chasing around Minnesota's versatile scorer averaging more than 26 points per game.
"My coaches have a lot of confidence in me," Gassion said. "They know I'm athletic and they know I do a good job of pressuring and contesting shots. I've really been trying to work on that when we practice against the boy squad in practices. I think that really prepared me for Rachel Banham."
Said Buss: "Not only do the coaches have a lot of confidence in her, we have a lot of confidence in her. We were so proud of Lex tonight."
Indiana wasn't going to stop Banham. Nobody has.
The 5-foot-9 fifth-year senior dropped 60, 32 and 35 points in her previous three games heading into Assembly Hall. Her final shot before heading to Bloomington was a 3-pointer as time expired to push the Golden Gophers ahead in a dramatic win over Iowa.
Indiana's plan heading into the game was to trap every ball screen Banham was curling off of, which is a sound enough strategy. The problem is she doesn't always need it, and it showed during stretches where she'd put her head down and get to the rim seemingly at will.
After being held to nine points in the opening half, 10 third-quarter points appeared to signal Banham's emergence. Five quick points in the opening minute of the fourth quarter cut the Hoosiers' lead to just six points with Banham showing no sign of slowing up.
But just before Banham could settle into a groove, Gassion forced her back out of it.
She ended the game with a missed layup, a missed jumper and then a pair of turnovers while the Hoosiers sealed the win with free throws on the other end.
"You're just trying to keep her in front of you as much as you can," head coach Teri Moren said. "Crowd her and make her take difficult shots. And I thought there were moments when we did."
Throughout the game, junior guard Karlee McBride kept saying "(Banham) can't get anything, she can't get anything." It was only hyperbole than anything else. After all, she was the game's leading scorer.
But it could have been worse. Just go ask Northwestern, Nebraska, Iowa or any of the other teams she's burned.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's BasketballFB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Thursday, April 16