Hoosiers conclude exhibition schedule versus Indianapolis

After the IU women’s basketball team’s 93-49 blowout of Southern Indiana on Saturday, it might seem there is not much left to work on. But IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said there are improvements to be made.

On Saturday, the team shot just 47.8 percent from the free-throw line and grabbed 40 rebounds when Legette-Jack said they should have had at least 50.

Legette-Jack said two key areas needing to be addressed are free-throw shooting and tenacity and purpose when it comes to rebounding.

“If we can get our free throws together and be hungrier for those offensive rebounds and we keep doing what we’ve already done, I think we have a good shot at being a pretty good team,” she said.

The Hoosiers will have another opportunity to show improvement as they take on Indianapolis in their final exhibition game at 7 p.m. today in Assembly Hall.

Part of the design of having only two days separating their exhibition games serves the purpose of simulating postseason play when games are played closer together.

“We got a couple minutes to figure out the mistakes we made, and then we get out there and get tested again,” Legette-Jack said. “I’m hopeful that this is the test that will get us ready for March.”

Although the Hoosiers’ early exhibition games might not seem to mean much against non-Division I teams, Legette-Jack has implored her team to stay focused for all 40 minutes of the game, whether in the game or on the bench.

Senior guard Lydia Serfling has taken that to heart and said she feels the passion her coach brings to practice and in games helps the team.

“That’s exactly what she likes to do every single day at practice – get us fired up,” Serfling said. “Then we are ready for the game because we have practiced that every day.”

The last time the Hoosiers took the court against the Greyhounds was Nov. 3, 2006, in Bloomington. Now-senior forward Whitney Thomas had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds and propelled IU to a 66-35 victory.

In the victory, IU held Indianapolis to 22 percent shooting, including 1-16 from behind the 3-point arc.

Despite the past success, the Hoosiers are not overlooking the Greyhounds and will try to stay focused and improve on previous miscues.

“There were good things and things to work on,” said senior guard/forward Kim Roberson about the team’s first exhibition game. “We worked on the kinks, now we have to prepare for Indianapolis and hopefully take care of business.”