IU welcomes No. 20 OSU

Sometimes the schedule can be unforgiving. \nComing off its worst loss since December 2006, the IU women’s basketball team returns home today to face the Big Ten’s only ranked team, No. 20 Ohio State. The Hoosiers (15-12, 8-7) lost to the Buckeyes (20-6, 11-4) by 12 in Columbus on Jan. 10. \nLast Wednesday, the Hoosiers fell hard on a road trip to Wisconsin, losing to the Badgers 81-51. Junior forward Amber Jackson led the Hoosiers in scoring against the Badgers, notching 18 points in the Hoosiers’ fourth-straight road loss. \nOn the bubble, the Hoosiers are fighting to make the NCAA tournament, but losses in three of their last four games have put a major dent in those chances. \nThe Buckeyes, however, look to be gaining steam heading into March. Since a 68-67 loss to Purdue on Feb. 7, Ohio State has reeled off three straight victories and is in the thick of the regular-season Big Ten race after a 13-point win over conference leader Iowa on Feb. 21.\nOhio State coach Jim Foster’s team is led by Jantel Lavender, who averages 17.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Additionally, Marscilla Packer and Ashlee Trebilcock each average double-figure scoring, coming in at 14.7 points and 10.7 points per game, respectively. \nLeading the IU attack so far this season is sophomore guard Jamie Braun, a player with whom Ohio State should be quite familiar – she dropped 25 points on the Buckeyes when the two teams met in January. So far this season, Braun is sixth in the Big Ten in scoring with 16.3 points per game. \nIn addition to Braun’s scoring output, junior forward Whitney Thomas, a Bloomington native, has picked up 11 double-doubles this season, more than twice the number she tallied her freshman and sophomore years combined.\nThe game against Ohio State is one of two home games left on the schedule for the Hoosiers, who will also welcome Penn State to Assembly Hall on senior night, set for Sunday.\nIU coach Felisha Legette-Jack and the Hoosiers are looking to pack Assembly Hall for Sunday’s game. The IU Athletic Department started the “Head to the Hall” campaign aimed at breaking the state attendance record for a collegiate women’s basketball game. Purdue set the previous record of 14,124 at Mackey Arena in 1999. \nAs usual, student tickets will be free. All other tickets are $1. The first 3,000 fans through the doors will also receive a free T-shirt.