Legette-Jack: “We can’t do it without you”

IU basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack made a big impression at Hoosier Hysteria on Friday. She hopes the Hoosier Nation will share her passion for women’s basketball this year.

“I don’t care how often they come, I just want them to come,” she said. “I think if they come once or twice, they’re going to think it’s a good enough sport they can come and support throughout the season.”

Across the nation, attendance at women’s games is rising, but fans are not pouring into Assembly Hall in record numbers, something Legette-Jack said is needed for the success of the program.

“We can’t do it without you,” she said to the crowd Friday.

During last year’s season, Howard Payne University, a school with an enrollment of 1,400 students, recorded the largest attendance among Division III programs with 1,549 fans per game, which is not much less than the attendance at IU women’s basketball games.

Senior Whitney Thomas appreciates the work her coach is doing to build support of the program.

“Coach Jack is trying to get out and get more people in the stands,” Thomas said. “She has the passion to do it so we’re right there behind her.”

Legette-Jack said she is disappointed with the response she has received.

“I’m disappointed that people haven’t bought in completely to the fact that we have a great women’s basketball program,” she said. “We are doing a lot of things out in our community, we’re doing a fantastic job in the classroom, and we’re competing.”

Freshman Lindsay Enterline also said she hopes the Hoosier faithful will return to Assembly Hall for women’s games in similar numbers to the Hoosier Hysteria crowd.

“Hopefully, we can get the same fan support,” she said. “We’re going to go out and play our best, and hopefully when we start winning, they’ll start coming.”

A large crowd has helped the Hoosiers in the past. Lasts year’s regular season finale against Penn State drew a record 8,136 supporters.

The team beat Penn State 79-67, and Legette-Jack credited fans for making the difference.

The Hoosiers finally have some continuity and consistency in a program that features the leadership of four talented seniors this year, including Thomas, an All-American candidate.

Legette-Jack said she hopes the low crowd support will not be similar to years past.

“There is something electrifying about this place when it is packed,” she said. “It certainly helped our men. I think that if we try to do two basketball programs here, we would shock the world.”