IU's 67-59 victory over Albany on Saturday might appear a little bit deceiving for a couple of reasons: -IU shot 0-14 from 3-point range, something Felisha Legette-Jack said will get better. And it should. This team can flat out shoot, and Jack expects them to be much better from range Tuesday night against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. A couple of those threes fall, and the scoreline is much wider. -Albany really pressed the Hoosiers early, but they adapted in the second half, and the 42-25 advantage IU held in the second half would suggest as much.
So all things considered, Albany might not have revealed much about this team. It is clear coach Jack is high on Jori Davis and Whitney Lindsay, and Davis especially might even push to break the starting line up at some point this season.
Another observation: The Hoosiers are very well-conditioned. They outran Albany, an athletic team in their own right, over the course of 40 minutes. Jack said no one will ever be in better shape than her team, and it showed Saturday night.
Hard to get much early on Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Their Web site is kind of strange, and I can't figure out if they have a separate athletics page or no. Either way, I think the real points of interest Tuesday will revolve around IU's shooting and how the freshmen continue to respond to regular-season action. This may seem obvious (if only because it is), but the aforementioned components of IU's game - freshman performance and shooting - will likely determine the course of this season.
What do you think? Where will the IU women's basketball team end up come March, in your eyes? Let us know your thoughts.
