Hoosiers turn to defense in battle with Buckeyes

The women's basketball team continues to apply the Big Ten's best defense like troublesome super glue. Believe it or not, the Hoosiers (9-11, 3-6 Big Ten) hold opponents to a league-best 63.9 points per game.\nBut in a 75-60 loss to No. 22 Minnesota Sunday, the ever-steadfast pressure vanished in the final four minutes. The Hoosiers relinquished 49 points in the second half after tying the game 26-26 at halftime.\nIU coach Kathi Bennett said she hopes her team's defensive rebounding and guarding against penetration reappears in time for the Hoosiers' 7 p.m. rematch against Ohio State tonight at Value City Arena.\nIn the last meeting, both teams displayed stifling, tug-of-war defense. Bennett said she expects extreme pressure from the consistently inconsistent Buckeyes (10-10, 5-4), who could launch into a zone if IU's guards heat up.\nThe Hoosiers' 64-52 triumph over Ohio State Dec. 28 marked one of IU's finer games. IU smothered the Buckeyes to 30.5 percent shooting, including 24.1 percent in the second half.\nWith a 4-inch height advantage over Buckeye center Courtney Coleman, IU center Jill Chapman led all scorers with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Coleman finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.\nGuards Jenny DeMuth and Tara Jones picked up 15 and 10 points apiece for IU, and forward Erin McGinnis added 11. As IU fired zero percent for three pointers (0 of 7), guard penetration, foul shooting and passing to Chapman remained vital.\n"I think they're going to come after us again and see how we handle pressure," Bennett said. "They're going to pick up full court and run and jump. I think they're going to zone press us. They're going to trap. They're going to try to keep the ball out of (point guard) Heather (Cassady's) hands."\nBennett said she expects her guards to step up again, especially after all but Chapman failed to score in double figures against Minnesota. IU's offense lags in the bottom tier of the Big Ten, ranking last at 58.7 points per game.\nThe Hoosiers have dropped six of their last seven games, an unsurprising fact to Ohio State coach Beth Burns.\n"I think our league is unbelievable," Burns said. "I was at a high school game last night with a lot of different coaches from a lot of different leagues. Everyone was telling me how they were glad they're not in our league. There's zero margin for error.\n"Look at (IU's) scorers. Every game has been a great game. Three of them came out on the positive, and the others didn't. It goes back to our league is so good. Every one is going to be a knock-down, drag-out."\nOhio State also has had to deal with a bizarre string of injuries. Coleman, naturally a forward, stands as the only original starter in uniform. Guards Tomeka Brown (sprained medial collateral ligament, bone bruise) and Caity Matter (broken left foot) and centers LaToya Turner (six surgeries on left knee) and Brandee Gibbs (broken left foot) remain on the bench. With all of the injuries, Burns has been forced to look to former manager Amber Stokes. \nPoint guard Tanya McClure returned from 15 months of recovering from a broken left foot and reconstructive ankle surgery, providing an emotional boost in Ohio State's 70-66 upset over Minnesota Friday. \nEven Coleman, 6-foot-1, couldn't avoid injury. She suffered a concussion against Northwestern Jan. 6. But she has remained Ohio State's most dependable star, tallying 16 points against the Gophers and averaging 13 points and 7.3 rebounds in Big Ten play.\nChapman said she doesn't plan to change her game to take advantage of Coleman's shortness.\n"You can't go in and say, 'I'm 4 inches taller,' and worry about that," Chapman said. "You have to just play your game, post up and be physical."\nStill, defending Chapman provides a tall task.\n"I don't think Courtney individually could do anything," Burns said. "One thing you can say about Indiana's entire season, short of the one game against Michigan, her numbers have been off the chart. We play without a true center, and Jill's a true center. They're two totally different players"