Indiana University Athletics
Senior Day Presents Big Opportunity for IU
2/27/2016 9:09:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By: Tori Ziege, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – One game at a time.
That's been Indiana's mantra during the program's winningest regular season in 18 years.
Head coach Teri Moren has stressed focusing on the opponent at hand, and when the Hoosiers have taken the court this season, they've done a good job of blocking out the rest of the conference, sophomore guard Tyra Buss said.
But inside the locker room, it's been a slightly different story.
The Hoosiers have been tracking their ascension in the Big Ten, all the while comparing it to their 12th place finish a season ago. Each team's name is written on a white board inside the Indiana's Cook Hall locker room, where the players have been updating records and standings.
They've seen their name vault to as high as third in the overall picture. Now, sitting tied at fourth and the final spot for a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, Indiana has a clear picture of what's at stake when it takes on Penn State today in its final regular season game.
"They know," Moren said. "They pay attention. We really have tried to focus one game at a time, but they like to see the big picture."
The Hoosiers followed the big picture from the moment the final buzzer sang in their third Big Ten road win at Nebraska on Thursday.
Upon entering the visiting locker room, Buss quickly pulled out her iPad to check the end of Minnesota versus No. 5 Ohio State. As the game transitioned to overtime, she and junior guard Alexis Gassion watched the livestream on the bus to the Lincoln airport.
What they witnessed was freshman guard Carlie Wagner heaving up a buzzer-beating shot — sealing Minnesota's upset and pulling the Gophers and Hoosiers even in the standings with a game remaining.
"It doesn't matter who won," Buss said. "We're just going to take care of us."
Indiana doesn't control its own destiny. At a game behind No. 20 Michigan State, beating the Lady Lions could land the Hoosiers as high as third place — solidly in double bye position — or as low as fifth — a single bye. The latter, however, would require Minnesota to pick up its second of back-to-back top-10 wins on the road at No. 6 Maryland.
Regardless of the outcomes around the Big Ten, a win today will cement two historical milestones for Indiana.
Should they add one more to the win column, these Hoosiers will become the winningest group in school history for a regular season, and the first ever to go undefeated in Assembly Hall for an entire season at 14-0.
"It's always special to be in the position that we're in," Moren said. "We also know this: Saturday's a big game. It's a must-win for us."
It's been a surprisingly quick turnaround for Indiana, said forward Lynsday Leikem. She will be honored on Senior Day as the Hoosiers' lone graduating member, earning degrees in criminal justice and psychology in three years.
In that span, she has seen the program transition between head coaches and grow from an 11-win team when she was recruited to one on the cusp of being Indiana's best ever.
"Just to see how many different ways there are to win a basketball game, that's been a great experience," she said. "It's been amazing to see the atmosphere and the culture grow just since I've been recruited."
It will be a momentous final game at Assembly Hall for Leikem, with the double-bye, the wins record and the perfect home record converging on her 21st birthday.
And to earn them all?
"That would be the best birthday present ever," she said.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – One game at a time.
That's been Indiana's mantra during the program's winningest regular season in 18 years.
Head coach Teri Moren has stressed focusing on the opponent at hand, and when the Hoosiers have taken the court this season, they've done a good job of blocking out the rest of the conference, sophomore guard Tyra Buss said.
But inside the locker room, it's been a slightly different story.
The Hoosiers have been tracking their ascension in the Big Ten, all the while comparing it to their 12th place finish a season ago. Each team's name is written on a white board inside the Indiana's Cook Hall locker room, where the players have been updating records and standings.
They've seen their name vault to as high as third in the overall picture. Now, sitting tied at fourth and the final spot for a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, Indiana has a clear picture of what's at stake when it takes on Penn State today in its final regular season game.
"They know," Moren said. "They pay attention. We really have tried to focus one game at a time, but they like to see the big picture."
The Hoosiers followed the big picture from the moment the final buzzer sang in their third Big Ten road win at Nebraska on Thursday.
Upon entering the visiting locker room, Buss quickly pulled out her iPad to check the end of Minnesota versus No. 5 Ohio State. As the game transitioned to overtime, she and junior guard Alexis Gassion watched the livestream on the bus to the Lincoln airport.
What they witnessed was freshman guard Carlie Wagner heaving up a buzzer-beating shot — sealing Minnesota's upset and pulling the Gophers and Hoosiers even in the standings with a game remaining.
"It doesn't matter who won," Buss said. "We're just going to take care of us."
Indiana doesn't control its own destiny. At a game behind No. 20 Michigan State, beating the Lady Lions could land the Hoosiers as high as third place — solidly in double bye position — or as low as fifth — a single bye. The latter, however, would require Minnesota to pick up its second of back-to-back top-10 wins on the road at No. 6 Maryland.
Regardless of the outcomes around the Big Ten, a win today will cement two historical milestones for Indiana.
Should they add one more to the win column, these Hoosiers will become the winningest group in school history for a regular season, and the first ever to go undefeated in Assembly Hall for an entire season at 14-0.
"It's always special to be in the position that we're in," Moren said. "We also know this: Saturday's a big game. It's a must-win for us."
It's been a surprisingly quick turnaround for Indiana, said forward Lynsday Leikem. She will be honored on Senior Day as the Hoosiers' lone graduating member, earning degrees in criminal justice and psychology in three years.
In that span, she has seen the program transition between head coaches and grow from an 11-win team when she was recruited to one on the cusp of being Indiana's best ever.
"Just to see how many different ways there are to win a basketball game, that's been a great experience," she said. "It's been amazing to see the atmosphere and the culture grow just since I've been recruited."
It will be a momentous final game at Assembly Hall for Leikem, with the double-bye, the wins record and the perfect home record converging on her 21st birthday.
And to earn them all?
"That would be the best birthday present ever," she said.
Players Mentioned
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