Sophomore steps up scoring, team leadership

Every team needs a player it counts on. They rely on the player when times are tough. For IU women's basketball team, that player is sophomore Jenny DeMuth.\nEarly this season, DeMuth has been playing with a purpose and is determined to lead the Hoosiers back to the NCAA Tournament.\nAs an underclassmen, she has become the undisputed leader on this team. While serving as a leader, she has been scoring a plethora of points and grasping rebounds like she is 6-foot-10-inches, instead of 5-10.\nDeMuth recorded her career-high by scoring 26 points in the Championship of the Great Alaska Shootout against Nevada in a losing effort. She was humble about that performance.\n"I went out and played hard," DeMuth said. "There was no special thing. I just wanted the team to win."\nIn addition to scoring over 20 points for the second time this season in the championship, she corralled seven rebounds and played all but three minutes.\nThat game marked the Hoosiers first loss of the season. As a result, IU looked to earn a victory in the next game against Florida State.\nDeMuth suffered a mild concussion at Florida State on Dec. 3 from hitting the floor hard. As she drove to the basket with nine minutes remaining in the first half she hit her head and suffered the injury. She did return to the contest.\nDeMuth will likely play against Georgetown this Saturday. Her practice timetable is uncertain, but she is listed as likely for Saturday's game, according to IU Athletic Media Relations. She was fully aware of everything after the Florida State game and was very much acting like herself.\nLosing DeMuth for any period of time would hurt the team.\nSenior Lisa Eckart said that the entire team looks to DeMuth and DeMuth knows it. Eckart added that the confidence she provides the team is very beneficial. \n"She is very consistent," Eckart said. "You can always count on her, day in and day out." \nAll facets of DeMuth's game have improved this year, not just her scoring and rebounding. She has learned how to help the other players. Freshman Brigett Branson said that during practices DeMuth will bring her aside and tell her how to run a play better or what she is doing wrong on the court. Branson also highlighted DeMuth's play after five games this year.\n"She's come out very strong," Branson said. "She's improved from last season. She has just been tremendous so far this year."\nAs if averaging nearly 16 points a game and leading by example were not enough, DeMuth has improved from the free-throw line. For example, against Wofford in the Hampton Inn/Fazoli's Classic she was a perfect 14 of 14 from the charity strip.\n"One of my goals coming into this year was to shoot 90 percent or better from the free-throw line," DeMuth said. "I struggled last year from the line and want to improve a lot."\nDeMuth shot 66 percent (84-127) from the line last season. So far, she is shooting 76 percent (28-37) from the free-throw line this year. \nFurthermore, DeMuth notched six double figure scoring games last year. She already has four this season, before getting injured in the last game.\nDeMuth said she did not think she would have to score as much as she has, but is willing to do whatever in order to earn a victory. \n"I believe more in my abilities now," DeMuth said. "My confidence has grown so much compared to last year."\nDeMuth relishes the leadership role and the responsibilities that come with it. DeMuth said she could be a vocal leader and added that she encourages the other players.\nThe IU players concur that DeMuth's demeanor on the floor is contagious.\n"She does all the dirty work," Eckart said. "She's not afraid to stick her head into a pile of players to get the ball. Her rebounding is strong, too, and it often goes unnoticed. It's not necessarily scoring all of the time. She does other things besides scoring."\nDespite how the players perceive DeMuth now, she was a pure scorer in high school. \nShe played at Highland High School in Highland, Ind. and crushed the school scoring record. She tallied 1,829 points for her career. No other player in that school's history had ever scored 1,000 points in a career. DeMuth hopes to make history at IU much like she did in high school. \nBranson summed up DeMuth's all-around game she has displayed this season.\n"She is very versatile. She can shoot the three, post-up, and play point guard," Branson said. "There's nothing she can't do on the court. She is a huge asset"