Hoosiers take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff, look to improve to 2-0

After a comeback win against Albany on Friday, the IU women’s basketball team will take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7 p.m. today in Assembly Hall. \nDespite trailing by nine points at halftime, the Hoosiers fought back to win the home opener against Albany 67-59. \nIU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the young team will benefit from watching film of the first game and learning from its mistakes. \n“It’s good to play games so that you can assess it and keep getting better,” she said. “This is a team that is going to be OK early, but is just going to get better down the stretch, because there is so much basketball that we have to learn.”\nOne item of concern for Legette-Jack is boxing out on defense. Going back to the final exhibition game against the Showtime Skins, IU has been out-rebounded by two smaller opponents. \n“We can rebound the basketball and get a false sense that we are pretty good, but if we don’t box out we’re going to really be in trouble,” Legette-Jack said. “Our defense is pretty darn good, but because we don’t box out, everyone is getting second and third chances on us.”\nIU is a relatively small team and will have to rely on boxing out to finish defensive possessions. \n“I think that since we haven’t played against tall teams so far, we think that we can out-jump people,” senior guard Nikki Smith said. “It is definitely going to be a struggle for us to make sure we box out because there is no way that a small team should out-rebound us.”\nAgainst Albany, IU struggled shooting from the field, going 22-59, including 0-14 from the 3-point line. Despite the struggles, the Hoosiers are confident that there won’t be a repeat performance against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.\n“Our shooting will improve,” junior forward Amber Jackson said. “All our shooters are in the gym early every day shooting and getting better.”\nLegette-Jack said IU needs to continue to take the open shots and not worry about the poor shooting performance against Albany. \n“We have to just go out there and shoot the ball,” she said. “I care that we shoot it. I can’t promise you we’re going to make it, but I care if we shoot it.”\nAlbany used an aggressive full court press and quick guards to fluster IU on the offensive and defensive end. Legette-Jack said she expects more of the same from Arkansas-Pine Bluff today.\n“They are a feisty, small team that goes 112 miles an hour the entire game,” she said. “If we take them for granted, that speed is going to hurt us.”