For the third time already this season, an IU women's basketball player reached the 1,000-point mark for her career.
First junior guard Tyra Buss etched her name into the IU record books, then came senior guard Alexis Gassion. On Wednesday night at the Sunshine Classic in Winter Park, Florida, junior forward Amanda Cahill scored 14 points to put her at an even 1,000 in her time as a Hoosier.
In the 74-60 win over Stony Brook, Cahill turned in her usual dominant low-post performance, adding 13 rebounds and six assists to go along with the efficient 14 points she earned on five of seven shooting.
"She got her 1,000th point tonight, so that's a nice treat there," IU assistant coach Rhet Wierzba said on the IU radio postgame show on WHCC 105.1. "But she fills a full stat sheet."
Wednesday was Cahill's fifth double-double in her last six games, but she also tallied two blocks and two steals. She has gotten at least two blocks or two steals in 11 of 13 games, and is second on the team in both categories.
The Ohio native has really stepped up her passing this season too, averaging a career high 3.2 assists per game. Cahill has registered an assist in each game this year, and Wednesday night marked the fifth time she's had at least four dimes. Her six assists against Stony Brook led IU in that category.
Wierzba said he's been most impressed with Cahill's improved rebounding, however. She is now averaging nearly nine boards per game, another career high. Wierzba cited her improved tenacity and skills in rebounding for her improvements on the glass.
"She’s going and just being aggressive and attacking rebounds and going over people to get them," Wierzba said. "Those are good things and good signs that are going to pay dividends in the Big Ten schedule."
In what was IU's second game in as many days, Cahill and her teammates could have come out flat following Tuesday's big win over Florida. Wierzba even said Cahill tends to play better against better competition, evidenced by her 21-point and 10-rebound performance against the Gators.
But the six-foot-one junior was anything but flat, coming out strong with 12 first-half points and a double-double wrapped up by the break. Her low-post moves against players that are often bigger than her have also impressed Wierzba this season.
"She does a great job of contorting her body in there, so when she’s playing against those bigger and stronger posts, she usually plays a little better," Wierzba said. "She was able to do that yesterday against Florida, and she comes back today and is just cleaning up the glass and going to get every rebound. That’s one of the big things with her growth this year."
