Hey folks,
We absolutely love blogging here at the IDS, and as such, we're firing up our first ever women's basketball blog. Regular posters will be myself and Brian Buckey. We'll be covering the team this year.
The season kicks off tonight at the Hall against the Hoosier Lady Stars. I did a little research and asked around at IU Athletics, but couldn't really come up with a definition for the Stars. The best I can gather, they're a traveling team of former college players living in Indiana. If someone can enlighten us further, we would greatly appreciate the input.
A couple of quick game notes: -In case you haven't read anything regarding the women's team this year, youth is the word. The Hoosiers have six freshman, a walk-on and a transfer, and only four returners from last year's 19-14 squad. Coach Felicia Legette-Jack told me she knows the team might have some growing pains this year, but they have energy by the truckload, which certainly fits the up-tempo Jack very well. They might be a little inconsistent, but this team should be fun to watch. -A couple of injury notes: Freshman guard Andrea McGuirt sat out of practice a little bit toward the end of last month, but my sources tell me she shouldn't be out long, if at all. Not sure if she'll play tonight, but I don't think it's that serious. Kim Roberson sat out of some drills early, but I haven't seen or heard anything else. -This team can shoot. Coach Jack admitted that they will rely at least to some extent on their three-point shooting, but from what I've seen in practice, that may not be a problem. Senior Nikki Smith, the lone senior on the team, can fill it up, and even some post players like freshman Georgia Follmer and junior Whitney Thomas look like they might step out some this year.
Tip off tonight is 7 p.m., and the game and parking are both free. It should be an interesting season for the Hoosiers, as well as the rest of the Big Ten. In Buckey's season preview, several coaches from around the conference admitted this is a wide-open season for the Big Ten. Anything can happen, and the Hoosiers are on the low end of the totem pole, picked to finish ninth. But Jack and her coaches are excited about this team. But the question remains: Can youth translate into wins in the Big Ten? What do you think?
