Post players 'have each other's back'

The Northwestern Wildcats dealt the Hoosiers their sixth straight loss last night, dropping IU to 3-9 in Big Ten action, and giving the Wildcats their first conference victory of the season. IU sophomore Cyndi Valentin led all scorers in the game with 15 points while sophomore Angela Hawkins scored eight points and coralled 13 rebounds, good for her second straight double-digit rebounding effort.\nAfter the Northwestern loss, IU will try to climb out of the cellar, while Iowa will seek to keep above .500. The Hoosiers and Hawkeyes will lock up for the second and final time Sunday. Iowa comes into the weekend with a 6-4 conference record and 12-9 overall record.\nThree Hawkeyes are placed in the top ten in conference scoring. Juniors Jamey Cavey, Jennie Lillis and Kristi Faulkner are sixth, eighth and No. 10 in the conference, respectively. Cavie averages 17.6 points per game while Lillis and Faulkner average just over 15 ppg. \nIU coach Kathi Bennett has nothing but respect for Iowa's triple threat because of their scoring ability. \n"Jennie Lillis and Kristi Faulkner are two potential first team All Big Ten players," Bennett said. "They're very good and very explosive. Jennie Lillis is one of the best offensive rebounders that I've seen and Kristi Faulkner can flat out shoot it off of the dribble or off of the screen. They're two very legit players while Jamey Cavie is great underneath the basket."\nBennett has a duet in junior Jenny DeMuth and Valentin to counter Iowa's trio. DeMuth and Valentin are placed amongst the top 15 in the conference with 18.6 and 14.9 ppg scoring.\nWhile IU doesn't have a dominant third scoring option, the team does have an emerging one-two punch underneath the basket. Freshman Sarah McKay and Hawkins are third and fourth on the Hoosier team in scoring with 6.5 and 6.0 ppg. Hawkins and McKay have also been on a tear as of late, as the duo have combined for an average 13.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game in IU's last four games. \nBennett said both players benefit from stretching out the post defense between both Hawkins and McKay.\n"Angie (Hawkins) benefits when she steps into the high post, usually, they're covering (McKay) with (Hawkins') player," Bennett said. "So when (Hawkins) steps to the high-low she's getting that catch and she's able to get to the rim and get more penetration."\nThe duo flank each other on and off of the court, as the two players are always ready to back each other up.\n"We always make it clear before games that we've got each other's back," McKay said. "Especially if we're going up against a really strong post, we know we're there for each other."\nHawkins has exploded in recent games, highlighted by an eight point, 15 rebound outing against Illinois. McKay had only good things to say about her partner in crime's recent play.\n "She's awesome," McKay said. "She's just all over the place. I just try to get out of her way because I don't want to step in her path sometimes. She's just amazing. We're always cheering each other on, and she helps me to not hang my head when I make mistakes."\nWith only four games left on the regular season schedule, Hawkins said there is a sense of urgency amongst the Hoosiers.\n"We know we've got to get together as a team," Hawkins said. "We only have a few games left and we know it's now or never."\n-- Contact senior writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.