50 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/28/14 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After two years of being runner-up, Kappa Alpha Theta finally broke through.Senior and rookie cyclist for Kappa Alpha Theta Brenna McGinn edged Teter Cycling’s Emma Caughlin to capture the 2014 women’s Little 500 title. “It was really huge after coming up in second the last two years,” McGinn said. “My mom in the house was on that team for two years, and Kath (Kathleen Chelminiak) (was) obviously on that team ... You’re representing something so much more than yourself on this team, and I think that is the coolest part of the tradition.”McGinn said she sat down with her coach two hours before the race, asking to talk about strategy. “I was like, ‘OK, cut the crap. Don’t tell me I can outsprint anyone. I’m fifth in ITTs, I know I need strategy. What do you think it’s going to be?’” she said. “And he called it.”McGinn’s coach predicted a three-to-four team sprint that would come down to the backstretch. Sure enough, the finish was just that, as McGinn defeated Caughlin on the final lap to capture the 2014 women’s Little 500 title by 0.132 seconds. “I’m just totally in disbelief right now,” McGinn said after the race. “Nothing is registering right now.” McGinn said if she had known how close behind Caughlin was, she probably would’ve given up mentally. “I prayed a ton in that lap,” McGinn said. “That’s all I remember doing is praying.”Caughlin said she tried to grab Theta’s wheel, meaning she tried to follow and draft McGinn. “Theta just killed it,” Caughlin said. “They saved their sprinters, which was a smart move.”Theta earned its fifth Little 500 championship with the victory, the team’s first since 2003. Alpha Chi Omega, the pole sitter, suffered a setback when the bike dropped during an exchange with 89 laps scored. The team still managed to finish third with a time of 1:13:11.625, despite the botched exchange.Two-time defending champion Delta Gamma, to whom Theta was runner-up to in the last two races, finished 11th.Riders faced winds of 15 miles per hour at the start of the race. Because of rain the day before, the cinders packed together. The packed track resulted in Theta finishing the race with a final time of 1:13:11.425, the fourth-fastest time in the last five years. As a rookie and a senior, McGinn was finally able to push Kappa Alpha Theta over the top. “It is the most amazing way to end my college career,” McGinn said. “It means the world to not only take part of something that defines IU but defines my sorority. And now, it’s a part of me to take with me.”Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1.
(04/23/14 2:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For Connor Wright and his Northern Indiana Cycling teammates, there have been no surprises or expectations in the weeks leading up to the Little 500.It’s a relief, too, after dealing with many obstacles while training as a rookie team in this year’s men’s race.“We haven’t really had any expectations with ITTs (Individual Time Trials) or Miss N Out or anything like that,” Wright said. “We don’t even know what to expect, so we haven’t been really surprised that much. Just taking it as comes and waiting it for the actual race.” Though they haven’t experienced any surprises during the Spring Series events leading up to the race, the cyclists did not expect to be without a rider during training.In December they had a Bloomington native and IU student named Clint on their team. Clint was training with them, but then dropped because of family reasons.As a result, Wright and his teammates had to recruit a fourth team member that month.“We were panicking there,” Wright said. “We had already done all the Fall Series stuff, so we were ready to go. When he backed out, we just kind of panicked.“All the Fall Series stuff was done, so there were no more opportunities to meet people on the track. We were like, ‘we have a problem here.’”Eventually, they found Declan Forberg, a high school classmate of Wright and teammate Shane McCoy.Northern Indiana Cycling has been riding with its current team for four months total after recruiting Forberg. Forberg said being high school classmates with McCoy and Wright helped in joining the team.“They all knew I wasn’t fat and lazy, so I thought, why not,” he said. “Although, I am the weak link, but I’m not fat.”Forberg joining the team led to the creation of the team’s name, Northern Indiana Cycling, since Forberg was also from Northern Indiana. Still, the riders admit coming up with a name was a challenge, as they didn’t have one before coming up with Northern Indiana Cycling.“That was like the hardest part of the whole thing was finding a good team name that wasn’t stupid,” Wright said. “We were going to have our team name be the Dope Pedalers,” Forberg said. “But I don’t think we were going to get that approved.” “He’s the jokester of the group,” Wright said. Finding a team name pales in comparison to the challenge of finding facilities to use. Training in the winter was a challenge, as the riders often had to use stationary bikes in the School of Public Health. While most teams had easy access to training equipment, Northern Indiana Cycling did not have the same luxury. “We don’t have these fancy bike rooms and the rollers and the trainers,” Wright said. “So we spent most of time in the HPER riding those stupid pieces of junk.”They occasionally did winter rides outdoors, but the bad winter weather made it difficult. As a result, they practiced indoors without going against the elements.The riders also had to make decisions on their own because they do not have a coach. They’ve used YouTube videos from last year’s race and conversations with other riders and coaches as resources for their preparation.“We’ve had to learn just by watching other teams or other people do ITTs from previous years and Miss N Outs,” Wright said.Despite the challenges they have faced, Northern Indiana Cycling riders are looking forward to race day.They hope to improve their qualifying time of 2:37.987. McCoy said the riders were cross-country runners in high school, which helps them with the endurance aspect of the race.“I feel like we’re more suited for the endurance and not just the straight sprint of quals,” Wright said. “I feel like the race will be our strong suit.”Come race day on April 26, Northern Indiana Cycling will start 29th.“I’ll tell you right now,” Forberg said, “we’ll turn some heads on the 26th.”
(04/14/14 3:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Black Key Bulls Cycling and Teter Cycling took the Team Pursuit crown and captured the Spring Series Sunday in Bill Armstrong Stadium.“This is awesome,” Teter Coach Chris Wojtowich said. “This is our fifth straight year, and if I’m not mistaken, Emma (Caughlin) would be the first one to win four team pursuits in all four years.” Both teams will wear the white jerseys in their respective Little 500 races after posting times of 9:16.31 and 8:16.89, respectively. “It’s a testament to good, hard work by everyone on our team,” said Black Key Bulls rider and IU sophomore Tyler Hart. Black Key Bulls faced Phi Gamma Delta in the men’s Team Pursuit finals after recording a time of 9:21.16 in Heat 21 earlier in the day. Phi Gamma Delta, also known as Fiji, recorded a time of 9:22.86 in Heat 24 to earn its spot in the final. Fiji jumped out to an early lead using three riders while Black Key Bulls used four. “Our first lap was really smooth, but I look over after our first lap and Fijis were ahead,” said Black Key Bulls rider and IU junior Steven Gomez. “We panicked a little, because we know those guys have legs and are strong, smart riders.”Gomez said they stayed steady and had consistent laps in the middle to chip away at the lead. In the women’s final, Teter earned its spot with a time of 8:20.57 in Heat 29. Alpha Chi Omega’s time of 8:19.46 in Heat 31 gave it the first spot in the final. Alpha Chi Omega had the edge after one lap, but Teter took the lead by lap four. “It’s really nice, because we knew they were going to out fast and have a fast start,” Teter rider Emma Caughlin said. “It was really awesome once we starting getting the seconds — we’re up four seconds, we’re up six seconds — and then we finally started to see them at the end of the straightaway. And once that happens, it’s all mental, just reeling them in.”Teter’s time of 8:16.89 was an improvement from its time last year, when it finished 8:20.11 in the final. Black Key Bulls won the Team Pursuit title after missing the cut for the second spot in last year’s Team Pursuit by nearly eight seconds.“We just want to carry the momentum in to race day,” Hart said.
(03/28/14 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Just two years ago, the IU women’s basketball team finished the season with only six wins. But with last night’s victory over Northwestern in the third round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, the Hoosiers now find themselves in the record books. IU tied the program record for most wins in a season with its 66-65 win over Northwestern. “It’s such a feel-good story because of where we’ve come from,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. It was anything but easy for the Hoosiers in earning their 21st victory on the season, a feat only four other teams in program history have accomplished. To get there, they had to win three consecutive postseason games. The average margin of victory in each of those games was 1.66 points per game. “For as much success as I’ve had as an assistant coach or a head coach, I haven’t won three consecutive postseason games in my career,” Miller said. “So this is new territory for me.” Consecutive postseason wins was also new territory for senior center Simone Deloach, who was part of the team that won only six games. She and the program’s other seniors won a combined 15 games between their freshmen and sophomore years. Deloach said tying the record means a lot and shows what growth can do. “I started at a level that not many people can say they did,” she said. “And I think with these freshmen it just shows you can do anything if you put your mind to it. It just shows my growth and it shows what they can do in four years with this program.”Fellow senior forward Tabitha Gerardot wasn’t a part of those teams, as she is in her first and final year with the program. But in her three years at Valparaiso, she had never won more than 11 games, similar to her IU teammates who have been with the program longer. “For me coming in from a program that was struggling, and from them having the program struggling only a couple years ago, for all of us, I think it’s huge,” Gerardot said. “Because none of have really felt that kind of a season where you have 21 wins. For it to be that big and in the record books, it’s really rewarding.”Miller said this has been a rewarding year because he and his team have been exceeding expectations. “You could not have gotten me to believe that this team had a chance to tie the school record for most wins in school history,” he said. “And now we have another game to try to single-handedly have that.”
(03/24/14 4:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With a one-point lead in the final seconds, the IU women’s basketball team needed a stop against Marquette. The ball bounced out of bounds off freshman guard Taylor Agler, giving the Golden Eagles a chance to win the game.Off the inbound pass, sophomore guard Brooklyn Pumroy’s shot in the paint fell short, and freshman guard Alexis Gassion snatched the rebound.Gassion hit two free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining as IU held on to defeat Marquette 72-69 in the second round of the WNIT. “I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am for our team, our seniors,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. “To get the chance to work with them more and continue this season is an incredible opportunity.” Freshman guard Larryn Brooks scored a game-high 33 points for the Hoosiers (20-12), who led by as many as 22 points in the game. After IU senior center Sasha Chaplin hit a jumper from the free throw line with seven minutes and 22 seconds remaining, Marquette (22-11) went on a 13-2 run to cut the lead to 64-61.Agler responded with a 3-pointer to put the Hoosiers ahead by six. She was 0-for-5 from the field before hitting the shot. “I kept telling Taylor, ‘I don’t care if you haven’t scored yet, I don’t care if you haven’t made a basket, you are going to make a huge one,’” Miller said. “And she did.”Marquette senior guard Katie Young responded with a 3-pointer and she scored the team’s final eight points to bring the Golden Eagles within one point before Gassion’ sealed the win. “It’s no fluke that they made those threes down the stretch and had a chance to win, because they never quit fighting in any game you watch on film,” Miller said. The fight the Golden Eagles displayed was evident in their work on the glass, as they outrebounded the Hoosiers 33-30. Marquette entered the game with the second-largest rebounding margin in the country, outrebounding opponents by an average of 13.3 per game. After the game, Miller said his team played fearlessly. That fearlessness was epitomized by Brooks’ performance. Of Brooks’ 33 points, 22 came in the first half. “It was really nice to get Larryn attacking and have some things happen for her,” Miller said. “She had an incredible first half.”Brooks said the experience will help them down the stretch in the future. “We know what Coach Miller came here to do,” Brooks said. “He wants to build on this program, and I think we’ve done that.”IU’s 20th win is one shy of the program record for most wins in a season. Only four other teams in program history have won more games than the 2013-14 Hoosiers, and each of those teams won 21 games. “Two years ago, six wins, and now we’re going to the third round of the WNIT,” Miller said. “Can’t be happier about that.”
(03/21/14 2:32am)
With five seconds remaining, the IU women’s basketball team
led by just one.
(03/07/14 5:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS — For the second consecutive year, IU faced Michigan in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. And for the second consecutive year, the Wolverines sent the Hoosiers home. Led by junior forward Cyesha Goree’s double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds, Michigan defeated IU to advance to face No. 2-seeded Michigan State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. The Hoosiers have not made it past the first round of the tournament since the 2008-09 season.“Obviously we’re disappointed in the end result today,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. “But you’ve got to give Michigan a lot of credit.”Trailing by 15 after halftime, the Hoosiers had six chances to cut their deficit to single digits in the second half. Each time, Michigan responded with a key play to keep IU from clawing back. “We had to expend so much energy to get ourselves into that position,” Miller said. Much of that energy was also devoted to keeping up with Michigan’s second-chance points. The Wolverines had a 24-8 advantage in second-chance points against the Hoosiers while grabbing 12 offensive rebounds. The Wolverines also had 24 points off turnovers. “That’s very tough,” said freshman guard Alexis Gassion, who led the Hoosiers with 12 points. “Credit to them because they were very good in transition and they were getting all those rebounds.”In the first half, the Hoosiers started quickly with five points in the first 50 seconds of the game and jumped out to an early 9-6 lead. But IU would score just eight in the next 11 minutes 52 seconds of play. The Wolverines responded with a 9-2 run for their first lead of the half. That run grew to 13-4 through the first five minutes.Michigan led by as many as 18 and shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, while the Hoosiers shot only 40 percent from the field. For IU players like senior center Simone Deloach, it was their final time playing in the Big Ten Tournament and the fourth time in their four years getting eliminated in the first round. “It’s frustrating, of course,” she said. “But I just hope that the underclassmen understand how tough it is in the Big Ten and the Big Ten Tournament and they can redeem themselves next year and the year after that.”The Hoosiers started the season 14-0, including a win over then-No. 22 Iowa in its first Big Ten game of the season. Because of that start, Miller said the team didn’t face adversity until mid-January. “And I’m not sure we always handled that or understood what was coming,” he said. “But I’m proud of the year.”Miller said the team will continue to learn. “We truly believe we will receive a post-season bid and we hope to receive a post-season bid and we’ll prepare hard for it,” Miller said.
(03/06/14 5:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the second consecutive season, IU will face Michigan in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The two teams will play at 6:30 p.m. today at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with the winner advancing to play No. 2 seed Michigan State at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals. “It’s a tough matchup, but we’re both in second-year programs of trying to rebuild,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. “And so there’s a little bit of bragging rights in this game.”Michigan’s rebuilding process started after losing six seniors to graduation at the end of last season. “Coming into the year, we had graduated four out of five starters, and probably 90 percent of our experience in minutes,” Michigan Coach Kim Barnes Arico said during Tuesday’s Big Ten pre-tournament coaches’ teleconference. “So we weren’t sure what to expect.”Despite being part of a rebuilding year, Barnes Arico guided her team to a 17-12 record, 8-8 in Big Ten play.Miller said the Wolverines’ seniors passed down the ability to work. “I mean, that team was the most successful team in Michigan history last year, and they had six seniors,” he said. “So they passed down work ethic, they passed down how to carry themselves on and off the floor as a Michigan player. They left the returning players with a lot to learn from.”Both the Wolverines and the Hoosiers ended up playing new players in the backcourt. While freshman guard Siera Thompson was Michigan’s second-leading scorer at 13.3 points per game, freshman guard Larryn Brooks led IU (18-11, 5-11) in scoring at 15.9 points per game. Brooks started alongside fellow freshman Taylor Agler, while Thompson started with junior college transfer and junior Shannon Smith. Michigan’s starting frontcourt of junior Cyesha Goree and fifth-year senior Val Driscoll are in roles similar to the Hoosiers’ first-year players. Driscoll did not play at all last season due to an injury but has come back while Goree is starting after appearing in just nine games last season. Goree finished with a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds during the Wolverines’ 70-58 regular season victory against the Hoosiers in Bloomington.“Now you’ve seen Goree step up and have an unbelievable year after being very much a role player last year. Hardly played at all,” Miller said. “And she’s played herself into one of the premiere players in the league in all of conference season.”Much like Goree, IU’s freshmen have stepped up. But having a young team presents challenges in preparing for the tournament. Miller said that as coaches, he and his staff are trying to prepare them for the intensity of the Big Ten Tournament.“The hard part for them is to realize that the intensity is even higher,” Miller said. “We talk about each and every possession meaning something in Big Ten Conference play, but in tournament play, it’s the difference between winning and losing.”The two teams also met in the first round of the Big Ten tournament last season, with Michigan defeating IU 67-40. For players like senior center Simone Deloach, it’s been a familiar result, as the Hoosiers have never made it to the second round her past three years at IU. “Coach (Miller) always says he wants us to play our best basketball in March,” Deloach said. “It’s March, and we’ve just got to do a better job of executing than we have so far.”
(03/03/14 5:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU was completely outmuscled in its 76-56 loss to No. 21 Michigan State. The Spartans outrebounded the Hoosiers 46-33, tied for the fifth-most rebounds by an IU opponent all season. IU Coach Curt Miller complimented Michigan State Head Coach Suzy Merchant’s team.“She’s got great length on her team,” Miller said.The Hoosiers closed out the regular season losing four of their final five games, including last night’s defeat. In each of those losses, they were outrebounded by their opponent and allowed an average of 43.8 total rebounds per game. Similar to their other losses, those rebounds allowed for many second-chance points. Out the 46 rebounds IU allowed, 15 were offensive. The offensive rebounding troubles for the Hoosiers began when Michigan State junior center Jasmine Hines grabbed the rebound after teammate and junior forward Becca Mills missed a layup. Hines created an opportunity for herself, but missed her own layup attempt. Mills got the rebound off Hines’ miss, and it led to an opportunity at the free throw line for Spartans freshman forward Aerial Powers. Powers converted both, extending Michigan State’s run to 9-0. IU went scoreless for nearly five minutes and did not grab an offensive rebound. Though the Hoosiers had only a 15-11 disadvantage in offensive rebounding, the gap was widened because of opportunities similar to those previously mentioned in which the Spartans took advantage. Michigan State went on another run at the beginning of the second half. The Spartans opened that half with an 11-2 run. Senior forward Annalise Pickrel drove down the lane and missed the layup, but the Hoosiers allowed the offensive rebound and Powers scored on her own putback. Powers’ offensive rebound was one of her 10 total rebounds on the night. Hines finished with 11 rebounds. The Hoosiers lost the rebounding battle in eight of their 11 losses this season. The eighth and final one occurred against Michigan State last night.
(02/28/14 5:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Freshman center Amanda Zahui B. scored 26 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, leading Minnesota to a 73-62 win over IU. Freshman guard Alexis Gassion led the Hoosiers with a double-double of her own, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds. “Disappointed with the end result tonight,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. “But I thought we really battled.” The Hoosiers appeared to be in control until Gophers senior guard Sari Noga hit back-to-back 3-pointers with 6:54 remaining in the second half. Noga’s pair of shots from the perimeter sparked an 18-1 run for Minnesota. After taking a 54-53 lead in the midst of that run, the Gophers never relinquished their lead. Minnesota closed the game on a 25-9 run overall. “We got to the under-eight minute media timeout up five, and Sari Noga came out, made two big threes, their first two threes of the game,” Miller said. “They just completely outplayed us the last eight minutes of the game.” IU struggled from the free throw line, shooting just 8-of-19. It’s the third consecutive game the Hoosiers have shot the ball poorly from the line. The free throw percentage against Minnesota was also the worst of the three games. IU shot 54.5 percent from the free throw line against Michigan on Feb. 19 and 52.6 percent last Saturday against Illinois. Minnesota had plenty of opportunities at the free throw line and made the most of them, converting on 20-of-28. The Hoosiers also struggled from the field overall, shooting just 22-of-72. The Gophers did not perform better by much, as they shot only 25-of-64. “All those things add up, when you miss 50 shots and shoot 40 percent from the foul line,” Miller said. Both teams’ leading scorers struggled from the field. Freshman guard Larryn Brooks scored only nine points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field for IU. “Larryn’s really talented,” Miller said. “We put the ball in her hands a lot. She was driving in there amongst trees but she really got everything going with our dribble offense. It just wasn’t enough.” Minnesota junior guard Rachel Banham finished with 20 points, but shot 7-of-22 from the field. Banham’s poor shooting night followed a previous poor shooting night against Michigan State. Though she scored 31 points against the Spartans, she did so on 11-of-30 shooting. IU will travel to East Lansing, Mich., to face Michigan State at 6 p.m. this Sunday to close out the regular season.
(02/24/14 3:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Coach Curt Miller only wanted to talk about the process of becoming a postseason team. But a group of players came to him one day and asked for specifics of how to get into the tournament instead, insisting they could handle the pressure of enhancing their postseason résumé.“They handled it,” Miller said. “And I think it energized them, knowing how much one more win or a few more wins would go, enhancing their résumé.”The IU women’s basketball team’s 79-61 victory against Illinois Saturday put it closer to a postseason berth. With two road games remaining, the Hoosiers can improve their RPI and increase their chances of getting an invitation to a postseason tournament.When the NCAA Selection Committee reviews a team’s tournament résumé, it looks at three areas — record, strength of schedule and RPI. The committee uses an “eye test” where the committee members themselves use their input to say which teams deserve to be in the tournament as a fourth determinant. Miller said he believes getting to 18 wins in a conference like the Big Ten goes a long way for the team’s tournament résumé. “You never want to leave it up to committees and people,” he said. “But I believe that win truly enhances a good résumé for not only the NIT but the WBI.” Playing in the Big Ten will be factored into the decision, as the Hoosiers achieved their 18th win against an opponent in one of the toughest conferences in the country. IU’s loss to Michigan (RPI ranking of 86 as of Sunday) last Wednesday hurt its résumé, while a victory over Illinois (RPI ranking of 158 as of Sunday) did little to improve it. The win over Illinois, however, does move the Hoosiers into a tie for eighth place in the Big Ten. IU has an overall record of 18-9 and RPI ranking of 53, but its strength of schedule (72nd among Division I teams) hurts its resume. The possibility of an NCAA tournament bid isn’t out of the question. However, the Hoosiers would have to win the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis to guarantee a tournament berth.“We still have games to go,” Miller said. “We still have dreams of winning the Big Ten tournament and going to the NCAA tournament, no question.” Before qualifying for either of those tournaments, the Hoosiers must first finish the regular season with two road games against Minnesota (17-10, 6-7) and Michigan State (18-8, 10-3). Defeating both teams would enhance IU’s tournament résumé. Minnesota’s RPI ranks 30th among Division I teams, while Michigan State’s ranks 42nd as of Sunday. “We’re gonna fight in those two road games, and we’re gonna prepare hard not just to be a one-and-done team up in Indy,” Miller said. “We’re going to continue to try to peak and play our best basketball before March gets here.” Senior forward Simone Deloach said defeating Illinois helps the team’s postseason chances. “It definitely boosts our confidence in going into postseason,” senior center Deloach said. “I think we’re all really excited and it’s something we all want.” Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1.
(02/21/14 4:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU (17-9, 4-9) will face Illinois (9-17, 2-11) for the second and final time in the regular season at 3:30 p.m. Saturday for senior night. The Hoosiers will have two days to prepare for the their final home game against the Illini. The IU women’s basketball team defeated Illinois easily when the teams met for the first time this season. But having been on a bye week since losing to Michigan at home Sunday, the Fighting Illini have had plenty of time to figure out how they will avenge their 77-58 loss to the Hoosiers. “They have a distinct advantage of coming in off a bye date playing us,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. Senior center Simone Deloach said it was a short rest.“It definitely benefits us that we’ve already played them,” Deloach said. Senior guard Amber Moore leads Illinois in scoring at 15 points per game. Freshman guard Larryn Brooks averages 16.4 points per game to lead IU. Moore’s average is 10th-best among Big Ten players, but the Illini have struggled to score as a team all season. Their scoring offense of 68.9 points per game ranks third worst in the conference. Illinois has lost seven straight heading into the rematch. IU has lost three straight games, which is the third time this season it has had such a streak. The Hoosiers averaged 11.3 turnovers per game in each of their three losses. That number is just shy of its season average of 12.6, the 15th-fewest turnovers committed per game in the country. No matter how few turnovers IU commits, Illinois will apply pressure on defense. The Illini scored 19 of their 63 points off turnovers in their last game. “Valuing the basketball is huge when you’re playing Illinois because they’re a high risk, high reward team,” Miller said. “You’ve got to value those possessions and move the ball and get good looks.”Despite committing 21 turnovers, the Hoosiers shot 47.5 percent from the field in the first game against Illinois. That percentage was their second-best performance in Big Ten play. “You’ve got to be able to make shots and we made shots there the first time,” Miller said. “We really shot the three well but when we weren’t shooting the three well we were able to attack over the top of their press and over the top of their zone.”The Hoosiers might have their way with Illinois from the field again, too. In Illinois’ seven-game losing streak, it has allowed its opponents to shoot 48.5 percent from the field. As a scout-heavy team, the short preparation window is tough on the Hoosiers. Miller said that when a team has a bye week, it gives the team plenty of time to focus on themselves. After Wednesday’s game against Michigan, he wanted to work on shooting drills with fatigue this week, but the condensed time period won’t allow him to do so. “When you’re going game-by-game, you’re always just working on your opponent,” Miller said. “And there is so much I would want to work on ourselves today, but we’ve got to worry about Illinois.” Senior center Simone Deloach said the team wants to play as hard as it can against Illinois after last Wednesday’s game against Michigan. “From our game last night, we have some redemption to do as well,” she said. “And for us (seniors), (it’s) the last time we’re playing in Assembly Hall so we want to end on a positive note.”Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1
(02/17/14 4:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Much like last Thursday’s game against Penn State, the IU women’s basketball team kept pace with Nebraska. And, much like last Thursday’s game, it only took a lead to let it slip away. The Hoosiers led by as many as eight during the first half, but could not hold on as No. 21 Nebraska overcame an early deficit to defeat IU 76-61 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. IU Coach Curt Miller said Nebraska exploited every mistake.“They took advantage of a lot more of our mistakes than we could take advantage of their mistakes,” Miller said. Two major contributors to the Huskers’ victory were senior forward Jordan Hooper and sophomore guard Rachel Theriot. The duo combined for 54 of the team’s 76 points. Hooper had 31 points on 55 percent shooting from the field, while Theriot finished with 23 points on 52.6 percent shooting from the field. “When you make a defensive assignment mistakes they have great players like Hooper and Theriot to step up and hurt you,” Miller said. After Hooper muscled in a shot from the right block in the post and drew a foul, Nebraska Coach Connie Yori briefly collapsed on the sideline after experiencing dizziness and did not return. Omaha, Neb., ABC News affiliate KETV confirmed Yori went to a local hospital to be examined.Associate Head Coach Sunny Smallwood took over, and the Huskers never looked back, going on a 17-6 run during the following six minutes. Nebraska outscored IU 30-11 during the final 12 minutes and 47 seconds. Initially, the Hoosiers struggled from the field and especially the 3-point line, missing their first six attempts from beyond the arc. This drought did not last very long, though. IU cut an early eight-point deficit to two with 13 minutes 17 seconds remaining in the first half on back-to-back 3-pointers from freshmen guards Larryn Brooks and Karlee McBride.A 3-pointer by freshman guard Taylor Agler extended the Hoosiers’ run to 11-0 to give them a 17-14 lead, its first of the half.Agler’s 3-pointer was part of a three minute and 10 second stretch in which IU shot 4-of-4 from 3-point range.The run eventually grew to 16-2, which gave the Hoosiers its largest lead of the game at 22-16 at the nine minutes 39 second mark. The Hoosiers did not relinquish their lead until Hooper made a pair of free throws with 16 minutes and three seconds remaining in the second half. Emily Cady’s layup accounted for two of Nebraska’s 15 second-chance points. “I thought the big difference in the second half was their effort to the glass with second-chance points, second-chance opportunities,” Miller said. “They were inspired.”Miller said he thought his team played a great first half. “We came in and really executed with a very young team,” he said. “Not only mentally with the game plan but physically and did a lot of really good things.” Sunday was the second-consecutive game the Hoosiers played against an opponent ranked in the Top 25. Miller said these were back-to-back games during which he thought his team competed well. “Overall, with a very young team, with four freshman on the floor most of the night, I’m proud of our growth — and I look forward to continuing to get better,” Miller said.
(02/14/14 5:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When IU faces Nebraska Sunday, it will be the team’s fifth game against a ranked opponent this season.In the previous four games, the Hoosier women’s basketball team is just 1-3. But after competing and losing two hard-fought battles to Penn State in the last three weeks, the players said they are confident heading into their road matchup against the Cornhuskers. “It definitely helps,” senior center Simone Deloach said about IU facing the No. 11 Nittany Lions Thursday. “Our motto is to be fearless, and I think we’re going to bounce back and compete. Nebraska’s a good team. We just need to stay focused and battle.” IU will travel to Lincoln, Neb., to face No. 21 Nebraska for the only time in the regular season. Nebraska defeated Michigan 76-68 Thursday in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Cornhuskers have won five straight games since losing to Northwestern on Jan. 26. Senior forward Jordan Hooper leads Nebraska in scoring at 19.5 points per game. She is also a candidate for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award. Freshman guard Larryn Brooks leads IU in scoring at 17.0 points per game. Heading into Thursday’s game against Penn State, she was seventh nationally in scoring among freshmen. The Hoosiers will have their attention on junior Emily Cady, who leads the Cornhuskers in field goal percentage.Cady shoots 52.7 percent from the field. She’s also Nebraska’s second-leading scorer at 13.5 points per game. Nebraska has followed Cady’s strong shooting. The Cornhuskers shot an average of 49.8 percent from the field in their last five games. In contrast, IU hasn’t had consistent shooting numbers in Big Ten play. In road games, the Hoosiers have shot an average of 36.4 percent from the field. Compared to Penn State, IU Coach Curt Miller said Nebraska is a different beast.“It’s a totally different animal,” he said. “But we’re confident that we believe in our stuff.”Both the Lady Lions and Huskers run the Princeton offense and include a lot of motion in their offenses. But it’s not just the similar action and motion that will give the Hoosiers trouble. “Nebraska’s spurtability and the ability to put players in different positions every time down the floor is really troublesome,” Miller said. Miller said the Huskers are the Hoosiers’ toughest matchup. Before their game against Michigan, the Cornhuskers were holding opponents to 38.4 percent shooting from the field.Additionally, they ranked first in the conference in defensive rebounding. The Cornhuskers averaged 31.1 prior to their game against the Wolverines. When the Hoosiers face Nebraska, they will have had two days to prepare for the matchup. Miller said he knows his team will have its hands full, and have to have two really good days of practice.Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1
(02/13/14 3:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU will face Penn State for the second time in the regular season when it plays host to the Nittany Lions Thursday at 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall.When the IU women’s basketball team faced Penn State for the first time this season, the Hoosiers lost 65-52. The Nittany Lions made less than 40 percent of their field goal attempts in the matchup. The Hoosiers said they recognized the Nittany Lions weren’t on their A-game and hold themselves to a higher standard for their performance in Thursday’s rematch. “We definitely could’ve played better that game,” senior center Simone Deloach said. “Losing by 13 to a top-ranked team is an accomplishment, but we know we didn’t play our best. So we just want to make sure we play Indiana basketball this time out.”The Hoosiers will have more time to prepare for this game than their first matchup against Penn State. The first matchup was IU’s fourth game in seven days, and one of six games in a span 15 days. IU Coach Curt Miller previously said the Hoosiers pride themselves on being a scout-heavy team, so the additional time has been beneficial. The Hoosiers had an extra day to prepare for the second matchup against Penn State.Miller said the team has been using the third day to work on self-improvement in fundamentals. “It’s about us right now and improving,” Miller said. “It was great to have that day that you could really step back and work on some fundamentals, work on yourself and get in some extra shooting.” Players said they are appreciative of the additional preparation time. Deloach said it definitely helps that the team has already played Penn State. “That extra day definitely gives us a boost of confidence for what we want to execute,” she said. Freshman guard Taylor Agler said she felt the Hoosiers were not overlooked in the first game. “They came in with a good game plan and seemed really well prepared,” she said. “I think they had some respect for us.” The Hoosiers’ defense in the first matchup commanded respect, forcing 21 Nittany Lion turnovers, six shy of their season-high. This was one of many points of emphasis during the film session. Miller said the players have been shown tape and constantly reminded that they did not see Penn State’s best effort. The Nittany Lions’ 65 points was its lowest scoring output in Big Ten play.“In the second half, they had a significant lead in the teens and kind of slowed the game and managed possessions,” Miller said. “We didn’t see the explosive Penn State, offensively, that we know they’re capable of.”Deloach said the IU women’s basketball team expects to be the underdog all season. That won’t change Thursday. “We’ve always gone into a game as the underdogs,” Deloach said. “So that’s something we kind of expect throughout the season. However, Agler said the 13-point loss in the previous matchup gives the team confidence. “It definitely gives us confidence that we can come in and compete with them again,” she said. “We really just want to come back and show them we can play with them.” Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1
(02/10/14 3:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Filled with fans wearing pink to honor cancer survivors in attendance, Assembly Hall was the home of fighters Saturday afternoon. “Because of the pink day, because of the cancer awareness, we talked about how a lot of people are going under fights a lot tougher than just a basketball game,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. “And if we could honor them by just fighting ourselves on the court, it would be a small gesture to all the people affected by cancer.” Led by freshman guard Larryn Brooks’ 22 points, IU showed toughness and resiliency in a 76-69 victory against Wisconsin. It’s the first time the Hoosiers have had at least 17 wins through their first 23 games since the 1993-94 season. The Hoosiers’ 17th victory of the season was not earned without challenges.Wisconsin (10-13, 3-8) cut IU’s lead to single digits five times during the second half. Before trimming the deficit to single digits the first time at the 12 minutes three seconds mark, the Badgers applied full-court pressure to the Hoosiers (17-6, 4-6). The pressure resulted in four second-half turnovers. Brooks said facing the full-court press was tough. “They were kind of double, triple-teaming me,” she said. “It wasn’t too tough, but we just need to have more focus down the stretch.”Senior center Simone Deloach fouled out when the Hoosiers were down by eight points with two minutes and 48 seconds remaining. She finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Despite losing Deloach late in the game, Miller said he wasn’t concerned. “We had fouls, we still had bodies to go so we weren’t concerned overall, because we could’ve easily called on Jenn (Anderson) or Lika (Taufa) late in that game,” he said. That kind of confidence would have been hard to find in the first half for IU. The Hoosiers went nearly four minutes without making a field goal. The scoreless streak ended when Deloach made a layup, which sparked a 19-3 run for the Hoosiers. “It is not easy to score against them, so for us to put up a 40-point half in the first half was a huge confidence boost and gave us a cushion that we didn’t have to play perfect basketball,” Miller said. Freshman guard Alexis Gassion finished with 14 points, her second consecutive game scoring in double figures. “I’ve been working on my shot, and it’s been on for me,” Gassion said. “I just try to do what I can for my team and help out.”Defensively, the Hoosiers clamped down on Wisconsin junior forward Jacki Gulczynski. She was held to six points and three rebounds after finishing with a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds during the first matchup. IU outscored Wisconsin 40-28 in points in the paint after scoring 26 points and missing 17 shots in the paint in the first game between the conference foes. Miller said he was pleased with the fight his team showed. “I’m proud of our team tonight,” Miller said. “It’s a big win for us.” Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1.
(02/07/14 4:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When IU lost at Wisconsin earlier in the season, freshman guard Alexis Gassion said it was a game the Hoosiers let slip away. Despite this, senior center Simone Deloach said she has seen the team learn from the defeat and from the following games. “I think we’ve grown significantly since that game,” Deloach said. Following their first Big Ten road win since February 2011, the Hoosiers (16-6, 3-6) will face the Badgers (10-12, 3-7) for the second time in the regular season at 1 p.m. Saturday. Wisconsin arrives in Bloomington after losing by one point in overtime to No. 21 Nebraska Wednesday. The loss dropped the Badgers to 1-5 since defeating the Hoosiers 65-60 in Madison, Wis., on Jan. 15. Despite that loss, IU Coach Curt Miller said Wisconsin has played three good games consecutively. “I think we’re catching Wisconsin at a time when they’re playing their best basketball, so we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Miller said. “But I think our kids are hungry to give it another try because we had an opportunity and just didn’t finish.” The Hoosiers will try to contain Wisconsin junior forward Jacki Gulczynski, who finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds in the first matchup. She also recorded a career-high six blocks in the Badgers’ win. Despite scoring only five points, she still managed to grab 10 rebounds in the loss to Nebraska. She has also had at least one block in 18 games. “Gulczynski’s the best shot-blocking forward in the league,” Miller said. “Their shot-blocking ability at the post position makes you have to make tough shots in the paint.” Miller also said Wisconsin is very dedicated to offensive rebounding. Late in the game, the Hoosiers had a one-point lead and Wisconsin missed a foul shot. The Hoosiers got the rebound still up by one possession. Wisconsin got the ball back, got an offensive rebound on the following possession and scored.“We should’ve gotten the ball back with a one-point lead late,” Miller said. “All of a sudden that possession turned into a three-point possession because of a huge offensive rebound that changed the last two minutes.”Saturday’s game comes three weeks since both teams played each other. The first matchup kicked off a grueling schedule of three games in five days. The Hoosiers lost all three, and went 2-4 overall in the games between the first game and Saturday’s game. IU Coach Curt Miller said his team stepped back up in the midst of that stretch, especially after the Jan. 30 game against Northwestern. “I think the big thing was, we hit rock bottom against Northwestern and we lost on areas that we can control,” Miller said. “We can control foul shooting, and sometimes there is so much you can’t control. But when you lose a game on things you can control, it really magnifies it.” Miller said after the loss, his team was prepared and hungry. “We got some things off our chests as players and coaches and put that game behind us,” he said. “I’m proud that this team hit rock bottom and fought their way back.”Deloach said the loss was tough, but it drove IU to get back in the gym and work harder. “We were definitely angry, but angry at the fact that we could have had it,” she said. “We knew that we had a chance to see them again, so we knew that the next opportunity would be a special one.” Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1
(02/06/14 2:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Freshman guard Larryn Brooks said she didn’t receive many offers from big-time colleges out of high school. So when IU Coach Curt Miller came calling and expressed interest in her, it was hard for her to say no. “I mean, he’s turned that program at Bowling Green around, and he said he was going to build this one — and I wanted to be a part of that rebuilding program,” Brooks said. The Richmond, Ky., native is having one of the most prolific seasons in IU women’s basketball history. At 16.8 points per game, she’s on pace to become IU’s all-time highest scoring freshman.Brooks had offers from Xavier, Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Miami (Fla.) and Virginia Tech, among others, according to June 2012 story in Louisville’s Courier-Journal.She chose to play for the Hoosiers because Miller recruited her most strongly. “I didn’t have too many big colleges after me,” Brooks said. “So once he came along, I was like, ‘It’s Indiana.’ They’re just a basketball state and he was really heavy on me.”As a senior at Madison Central High School, she averaged 20 points, four assists, four steals and four rebounds per game. It earned her a spot on the Kentucky All-Star team, but she was rated as only a three-star recruit.During her time with the Kentucky All-Stars, she played in the annual Indiana-Kentucky all-star game. She said she remembers basketball being big in Kentucky going into that game. “Kentucky, they’re pretty crazy about it, but it’s nothing like here in Indiana,” she said. “They’re all about basketball, and that’s what I love most about it.”Becoming the face of a program didn’t happen overnight for Brooks. Her performance against Virginia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge was a start, though. She scored 37 points against the Hokies on Dec. 4, 2013. That performance set a single-game freshman record. “It’s meant a lot. I don’t think I really expected to come in and do this,” Brooks said. “It’s been pretty nice to have set all these records, but playing with this team has been the best.”As her outstanding play continued, more specialized game plans were created for Brooks.Miller said this was what impressed him the most in Big Ten play. “Each and every night, high-level programs in the big ten generate a scouting report to shut down Larryn Brooks,” he said. “Everything starts with, ‘How do we contain her?’”Creating a game plan might have been an afterthought considering where Brooks was out of high school. Despite playing well and putting up solid numbers, scouting organizations and services overlooked her, though she said that doesn’t give her a mentality of having a chip on her shoulder. “To me, from coaches and other players, they’ve told me I’ve done pretty well and stepped up as a freshman pretty big,” she said. “It’s not really a chip on my shoulder, just wanting to get better everyday.”Although her game commands serious attention, her attitude is sometimes anything but that. Freshman forward Lyndsay Leikem said she often provides comic relief for the team. “She always makes me laugh, and whenever she’s around, she has a way of putting a smile on peoples’ faces, including mine,” Leikem said. Previously, Miller said he hoped Brooks would be player the community rallies around. “I think our fans really enjoy watching her energy and watching her ability to score in a variety of ways,” he said. “She’s become a hit with our fan base.”Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1.
(02/03/14 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Facing another team from Illinois, there would be no shooting struggles from the field this time for the IU women’s basketball team. After suffering one of its poorest shooting performances of the season last Thursday against Northwestern, IU had one of its best days from the field in a 77-58 win yesterday at Illinois. “I got a very excited locker room tonight that stuck to the game plan and, more importantly, believed in each other and believed that they could make shots and a lot of shots they missed the other night in a close loss to Northwestern,” IU Coach Curt Miller said. The Hoosiers shot 47.5 percent from the field yesterday afternoon after shooting 30 percent Thursday against Northwestern. The shooting percentage is IU’s second-best in Big Ten play since shooting 50 percent from the field at Iowa on Jan. 25. Individually, freshman guard Alexis Gassion had a career night. The Fairborn, Ohio, native shot 4-of-5 from 3-point range and 8-of-10 overall from the field en route to a career-high 22 points. The Hoosiers made five of their first seven field goals, which led to an early 14-9 lead in the first half. Gassion was responsible for half of those points. “Our start was talked about,” Miller said. “We needed it for our confidence because our team had hit rock bottom with the way we shot. I mean, we were 3-for-15 from the foul line in the second half against Northwestern and lost in the final minute.”A 3-pointer at the eight minutes and 12 seconds mark in the second half by the freshman guard sparked an 11-5 IU run in which the Hoosiers connected on 3-of-4 3-point attempts. The hot shooting from the perimeter led to the largest lead of the game for IU, 75-49 with four minutes and 59 seconds remaining in the game. Gassion also grabbed five rebounds, part of 45 total rebounds. The Hoosiers dismantled the Illini on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 45-26. The 45 team rebounds marked the third-highest rebounding performance for IU in Big Ten play this season. It’s only the sixth time this season the Hoosiers have grabbed 45 or more rebounds in a game. Freshman forward Lyndsey Leikem had the best individual rebounding effort for IU, grabbing 10 rebounds and 10 points to earn a double-double. Leikem’s offensive rebound with 11 minutes and one second remaining in the first half led to a 3-pointer by Gassion and gave the Hoosiers a 34-15 lead. That lead was built on a 20-6 IU run. Eleven of those 20 points came from second-chance points on four offensive rebounds. The Hoosiers finished with 10 offensive rebounds. Miller said he was proud of his team’s performance. “We’ve shot the ball well, we’ve scored the ball well,” Miller said. “We were over 80 points 10 times this year, and so we’ve had some good production scoring the basketball.”Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1.
(01/31/14 5:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>So close, yet so far. For the IU women’s basketball team, 14 missed free throws was the difference in a 58-52 loss to Northwestern. IU Coach Curt Miller did not mince words when describing how he felt about his team’s performance. “(I) started coaching in 1986 with a seventh and eighth grade team,” Miller said. “You probably know how I feel how we compare.” The charity stripe was not the only source of the Hoosiers’ struggles. The Hoosiers shot 21-of-70 from the field and 6-of-20 from the free throw line. They were even worse from 3-point range, shooting 4-of-27. “I’m not sure we made one contested tough shot all night,” Miller said. “Not one.”Miller also said he thought the team had poor shot selection, but when it executed, it had seven assists on 12 baskets in the first half. “They were literally wide-open layups,” he said. The Hoosiers received a lucky break early in the first half. Northwestern freshman guard Nia Coffey, the Wildcats’ leading scorer, sustained an injury with 13 minutes and three seconds remaining in that half. IU briefly took advantage of her absence. The Hoosiers went on a 5-0 run that ended when sophomore guard Maggie Lyon hit two free throws to tie the game for Northwestern. Miller said his team did not take full advantage of the opportunity it had. “When one of the clearly elite players in the entire league gets injured, we didn’t have a killer instinct that tonight was our night,” he said. Leading by one at the beginning of the second half, the Hoosiers forced two turnovers on the Wildcats’ first two possessions of the second half. The turnovers led to four points and extended the lead to the Hoosiers’ largest of the game of five points. Northwestern responded with a 14-7 run. A key play within the run was when junior forward Alex Cohen tied the game at 39 after drawing contact on a made layup with 10 minutes and 25 seconds remaining. After freshman guard Taylor Agler split a pair of free throws, IU went two minutes and 35 seconds without making a field goal.A floater by freshman guard Larryn Brooks with the shot clock winding down broke the scoreless streak. Freshman forward Lyndsay Leikem led the Hoosiers with 18 points, including 2-of-4 shooting from 3-point range off the bench. The Tucson, Ariz. native was one of 12 IU players who saw playing time Thursday night. “She played well,” Miller said. “She was the one kid that was kind of fearless and let the ball go from the 3-point line.” Senior center Simone Deloach missed a pair of free throws with two minutes and 23 seconds remaining that would’ve given the Hoosiers another chance to tie the game. Sophomore guard Maggie Lyon scored six of the Wildcats’ nine points in the final three minutes. Deloach said shots that normally fall for the Hoosiers didn’t fall Thursday night. “I think it’s a matter of coming back and getting back in the gym and just shooting and getting ready for Illinois,” she said. Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1