Hoosiers’ win-streak grows to 5

For most of the first half, the Butler Bulldogs were a pest the Hoosiers couldn’t get rid of. The eventually overmatched Bulldogs (3-5) stayed within single digits until 3:35 left in the first half when senior Amber Jackson’s layup put the Hoosiers (6-2) up by 10.

The Hoosiers then went on a 14-1 run to end the half. They led at halftime 39-20, and went on to win their fifth in a row defeating Butler 63-41.

SLIDESHOW: IU vs. Butler

“This was a team effort, team win and it’s really exciting to see our team play together,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “We put in subs today, and you really couldn’t tell the starters from the subs because everyone really contributed.”

However, all wasn’t pretty for the Hoosiers a few minutes into the game when senior leader Whitney Thomas was pulled.

“She didn’t have the intensity we are accustomed to seeing,” Legette-Jack said. “We had to jump on her right away to change her intensity. I think that she was focused, but she wasn’t showing the intensity. Once she understood what we wanted out of her, she changed up real quickly, and we fed off her energy.”

The dooming stat for the Bulldogs was their inability to shoot the 3. Butler only made 2-of-21 from behind the arc. Senior guard Kim Roberson said their team defense contributed to the Bulldogs inefficiency.

“We practiced all week with our defense,” she said. “We want our defense to dictate. On the perimeter we want to be there on the next pass and be there in their face so the ball doesn’t get into the post.”

Butler’s coach Beth Couture had high praises for what Roberson brings to the table defensively.

“I’ve known Roberson. I’ve known her since she played at Cathedral (High School), and she’s like a one-man press,” she said. “She can really anticipate, which she did in high school. I figured we have a tough time. I was a little disappointed in our other guards for not stepping up to bring the ball up the floor and allowing her (Kim) to do that.”

The second half the Hoosiers came out much like they did to finish out the first half. The Hoosiers extended their lead to 48-25, their largest of the night, after Roberson’s 3-point basket with 17:10 remaining.

IU once again had a balanced scoring attack, with three Hoosiers in double figures. Jackson led all scorers with 18 points. Roberson finished with 15, in part from her 3-for-5 shooting behind the arc. Thomas notched her 26th career double-double, finishing with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

One scary moment for the Hoosiers was the fall freshman Sasha Chaplin took after a layup in the first half. Chaplin seemed to come down awkwardly on her left leg and was helped off the court.

“Well, we’re a family and we care deeply for one another,” Jackson said. “When Sasha went down that definitely put something in us to play harder. It gave us that momentum to keep playing hard and do it for her.”

The Hoosiers return to the road having just finished a five-game road streak prior to Tuesday’s game. The matchup will be at 2 p.m. Saturday against West Virginia.