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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Team to battle Illini on Senior Night

Bennett holds hope that Honegger will play

Senior Night is always special.\nBut with an NCAA Tournament berth and a first-round bye at the Big Ten tournament on the line, tonight's game cannot be much more important.\nLooking to break its tie for sixth in the Big Ten standings, IU will honor its seniors 7:30 p.m. today in a crucial match-up against Illinois.\nThe match-up scares coach Kathi Bennett.\n"They're one of the most talented teams in the Big Ten," Bennett said of the Illini. "They're such a tough team to prepare for. If my voice sounds a little shaky, you know why -- they're that good."\nBesides the Illini and the importance of the game, the Hoosiers (16-8, 8-6 Big Ten) will honor their two seniors after the contest on McCracken Court. Senior guard Rainey Alting, who has started every game, averaging almost nine points, will address the crowd after the game.\nShe's going to be nervous, she said.\n"I'm not one to speak in front of people very well," Alting said. "But I want the chance to tell my family and my teammates how much I love them. I'm just going to wing it."\nAlting is in only her second season with IU, after transferring from Vincennes University.\nStill, in two years in Bloomington, she has made a tremendous impact through her leadership for the Hoosiers.\n"It's going to be very emotional," said junior guard Heather Cassady of the senior's last home game. "I think we'll definitely want to come out with a little fire. (Rainey's) got one of the biggest hearts I have ever seen on and off the court. She genuinely cares about everyone." \nBennett holds out hope that the second senior, Rachael Honegger, suspended since Feb. 7, might play.\nRegardless, Honegger, who started every game prior to her suspension, will also speak to the fans.\n"I hope she can play," Bennett said, but noted she has nothing to do with the decision. "Seeing how well she's handled it, I know that it will be OK, though." \nHonegger was not made available to the media pending the result of the athletics committee's investigation, but Bennett said she has handled the situation remarkably. \n"This is what I am so impressed with..." Bennett said. "When we're in the locker room before games, and after wins, there's just a genuine happiness for the team. "\nSeniors aside, IU still faces perhaps its most important game yet in Bennett's first season. A win seriously helps IU's NCAA chances.\n Illinois (13-13, 8-6) has had an up-and-down season, filled with big wins and crushing losses. Despite their .500 record with two games remaining, their strong Big Ten record has Illinois thinking about the postseason.\n A win against IU tonight would vault Illinois past IU in the Big Ten standings -- crucial to Illinois and disasterous to the Hoosiers.\nIllinois coach Theresa Grentz knows how important tonight's game is. \n"We're coming down to an extremely critical part," Grentz said. "It's going to be tough to go in there and win, but we have to."\nIf IU wins out against Illinois and then against 4-20 Northwestern, the Hoosiers are guaranteed the No. 5 seed -- and a first round bye -- in next week's Big Ten tournament. A loss will ensure the Hoosiers play in the tournament's first round, a blow to their postseason hopes.\nAlting wants to make sure her IU career ends with a trip to the NCAA tournament.\n"I've realized my career is winding down and I want it to end in the NCAA tournament," Alting said. "It's what you work for your whole life, and we have a real chance of making it happen."\nThe Hoosiers will need to stop Illini guard Allison Curtin. Curtin leads Illinois in scoring, averaging more than 14 points a game. Curtin scored 25 points in Illinois' two-point win against Michigan State 52-50. In the win she also added seven rebounds and four assists.\nTo combat Curtin, IU might employ a 2-3 zone, Alting said. The Hoosiers have worked on the zone in practice, but have played man-to-man every minute of each game this season. \n"Allison Curtin is a great player. She gets up and down the ball, she causes teams headaches, she anticipates, she scrambles, she gets her hands on things -- so we have to keep her ahead of it," Bennett said. "We have to make them work on the offensive end and the defensive end. They change things up, so we are going to have to be very alert."\nBut Bennett, who will say goodbye to her first players since coming to IU last March, might have her mind wander to Honegger and Alting. Despite coaching them for only one season, Bennett has built a strong bond with the two.\n"You only get one shot in your life to do this (play basketball), and to put as much energy and work and effort into four years, and to have the season winding down, all of a sudden you look at it, and you're like, 'Oh my gosh, it's here,'" Bennett said. "What I can tell you about Rainey and Rachael, the words I have been trying to come up with is 'meaningful self-sacrifice.' They've given everything they have in a positive and good way. They've had servants' hearts trying to make the team the best it can be. \n"As a coach, when you have seniors like that, you enjoy your time with them, and I am going to be sad to see it come to an end."

Sarah Meinecke contributed to this story.

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