Hoosiers get by AIS 75-67

Before the season opener Nov. 19 at No. 8 Baylor University, the IU women's basketball team got a preseason test against the Australian Institute of Sport -- and it was tested. IU passed the test, behind some timely shooting and defensive stops to win 75-67.\nThroughout much of the second half, AIS held on to the lead, building it to as high as 61-54 with seven minutes remaining.\nThe IU defense would take over, limiting the AIS to just six points down the stretch.\nKeying the Hoosier defense was sophomore guard Annika Boyd. Boyd came up with a crucial defensive five-second call, with IU clinging to a 69-66 lead.\nBoyd wasn't limited to just stellar defensive play, as she poured in 10 points on four of eight shooting, including a key three-pointer with five minutes and 25 seconds left in game, giving the Hoosiers their first lead of the half.\nBoyd playing both sides of the ball was a key to the win, IU Coach Kathi Bennett said.\n"(Annika) was huge. She is capable of scoring, but she held her own defensively," Bennett said. "I feel real good about the minutes she played and what she did."\nHelping key the final run, was senior forward Jamie Gathing. Gathing, who sat out last year because of injury, drew a key charge and converted a three-point play, closing the gap 61-59.\nAfter not playing all last year, coming out and winning was a good feeling, she said.\n"It felt great," said Gathing, who finished with seven points and six rebounds. "At first I was a little nervous, but after a while I calmed down and got into how I play basketball."\nJunior Angela Hawkins, keyed the final run along with Gathing, coming up with four points, including a basket after she missed the first two times, but stuck with it and put it in on the third try.\nThe Hoosiers never lead comfortably in the game, their biggest lead came toward the end of the first half, 34-27.\nPacing IU in the first half and throughout the game was junior guard Cyndi Valentin. Valentin scored 23 points, draining four three-pointers in the game, three of which came during the first half when she scored 16 points.\nThough she scored nearly a third of her team's points, Valentin didn't feel any pressure tonight, she said.\n"I just let the game come to me, and not force any shots," Valentin said.\nThe exhibition season is over for the Hoosiers, though IU will play Butler in a scrimmage this Saturday. \n"I just felt it was really important for us to win this game," Bennett said. "That was the most important goal for us, no matter how ugly or what, we did it and I'm very happy about that."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.