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(03/23/08 3:05am)
I'm Brian Buckey and with Greg Rosenstein, we are the new Little 500 writers for this year. We'll try to carry on what Mike and Chris started last year on this blog. We spent today at Bill Armstrong Stadium for qualifications.
(03/22/08 11:16pm)
We're ready for second half action here at Assembly Hall. The Hoosier lead by three at the half, 34-31.
(03/22/08 10:18pm)
I'm here at Assembly Hall with yours truly, Zach Osterman. The same Zach Osterman whose Sigma Alpha Mu team tuned in a first place performance at Little 500 Qualifications today (he does it all). The Hoosiers host the James Madison Dukes in second round WNIT action. IU had a first round bye, while James Madison defeated Radford in the first round.
15:50 to play in first half: IU leads 10-4
IU is looking to get the ball inside early against the Dukes. Amber Jackson has a quick four points early for IU and Whitney Thomas has two. Tamera Young has all four of James Madison's points.
(03/21/08 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior Alpha Tau Omega member Steve Ziemba has been a Little 500 rider for only two years, but he has already experienced the highest of the race’s highs and the lowest of its lows. Two years ago, as a rookie rider, Ziemba watched as his ATO teammate Hans Arnesen lapped the field on the way to ATO’s impressive 2006 Little 500 title. Last year, however, Ziemba and ATO missed the chance to defend their title when they failed to qualify for the race. It was the first time in the event’s 57-year history that the defending champion failed to qualify for the next year’s race. At Saturday’s qualifications for the 2008 race, ATO will try to learn from last year’s mistakes and earn a spot in this year’s field.“As a freshman, I just came into a really good situation,” Ziemba said. “We had really strong leadership and just a really great team. Last year was tough. We trained so hard all year and then having that happen, it was devastating watching everyone else and not being able to compete.”After dropping the bike during an exchange in its first two attempts, ATO was left with one more chance to complete its run and qualify for the race. But after a judge ruled it made an illegal full-bike exchange on the first exchange of their last attempt, ATO failed to solidify a spot in the race, leaving its competitors stunned.“I was actually there when they did their third attempt, and obviously everyone was yelling and screaming and then all of the sudden there was nothing – everything was hushed,” said junior Kirk Weesner, a Pi Kappa Alpha rider. “I was just as shocked as everyone else.”While some competitors were surprised, others viewed ATO’s mishap as a competitive advantage.“I think a lot of teams, to tell you the truth, were more excited than they were shocked because it was good to have a good team like that out,” said junior Chad Timmerman, a Phi Sigma Kappa rider. Junior Robert Perez, who was on the front end of ATO’s last exchange, said the final failed run was a result of a misunderstanding of the rules. While initially Perez and ATO supporters were angry at the ruling, their emotions later shifted to regret.“It was more disappointing than anything,” he said. “We had worked hard all year leading up to that and we had a really competitive team.”On Saturday, ATO hopes to recover from last year’s disappointment and race up to expectations.“Last year, we were coming off spring break and we were riding really fast,” Ziemba said. “We might have been a little cocky and tried to come out too fast.”While three of the ATO riders missed the chance for race experience last year, Ziemba still believes ATO has a team that can challenge for its second title in three years.“We still have a very good team,” Ziemba said. “Our rookies have trained hard, and even though they haven’t been in a race yet, we still consider them veterans. Everyone has improved and our team is a lot stronger.”The first step, though, is to qualify Saturday – something the teammates now know they cannot overlook.“We just have to keep calm,” Ziemba said. “Qualifications are probably the most stressful part of the race. You have to do three exchanges in three laps and you only get three attempts. It’s about us being comfortable. It’s not so much about winning, it’s about getting in.”With memories of last year fresh in its mind, ATO will have plenty of incentive Saturday.“We don’t want to dwell on it, but it’s obviously good motivation for us,” Perez said. “We want to come back strong after that.”
(03/09/08 10:30pm)
INDIANAPOLIS — With both teams likely needing a win to keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive, the IU women’s basketball team and Purdue battled back-and-forth for 35 minutes of the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. \nThe score was tied at 50 with 4:25 remaining, but after 15 lead changes and 10 ties, Purdue started scoring and IU stopped. The Boilermakers went on an 11-0 run, ensuring a 64-54 victory. \n“They just put the ball in the hole and we didn’t,” IU Felisha Legette-Jack of the late Purdue run. “We played a great game for 35 minutes, but after that Purdue just took it to another level. It wasn’t because of fatigue or anything like that; they just played better than us.” \nJunior forward Amber Jackson led the Hoosiers for the second game in a row, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. But guards Jamie Braun, Kim Roberson and Nikki Smith never got on track and the Hoosiers struggled from 3-point range shooting 3-18 for the game. \nFahkara Malone was the difference for the Boilermakers on the offensive and defensive end of the floor. Malone used her quickness to score in transition and pester the Hoosier guards on her way to a game-high 26 points and 8 steals. \n“I was just like, ‘Let’s get her the ball’,” Purdue’s Lakisha Freeman said. “She did it all for us offensively and defensively. That’s what she’s capable of doing for this team and we expect that from her.” \nMalone said she expected the IU guards to try to attack the basket and took advantage of that to record her eight steals. \n“They’re a great penetrating team,” she said. “They all can take the ball up the court and go to the basket. I’m just small enough that I can get the ball before it comes back up to their hands.” \nIU held a 27-26 halftime advantage and led by as many as five points in the second half, but 33% second half shooting ultimately cost the Hoosiers in the end. \n“I think we were running on the perimeter too long,” Legette-Jack said. “We never tried to attack the basket the way we normally do. Sometimes you just have to get an offensive foul and impose yourself and we certainly didn’t impose ourselves on their defense.” \nAfter a crucial victory, the Boilermakers will face Iowa in Saturday’s semifinals with another chance for a big win to boost their NCAA tournament resume. \n“The Big Ten Tournament is a huge thing for every team that comes in,” Purdue coach Sharon Versyp said. “We came in with a clean slate and finished when we needed to, so this game was key for us.” \nOn the other hand, the Hoosiers are 18-14 on the season and will likely have to wait on a WNIT bid. \nJackson said IU came into the Big Ten Tournament expecting to win a championship and will use the disappointment they feel now to fuel them for next year. \n“It leaves a very sour feeling,” she said. “We’re a good team and we’re going to get better. It was a long season, we’re young, but this definitely puts some fire in us to take everything more seriously and know that we never want to feel this way again.”
(03/07/08 5:18am)
INDIANAPOLIS – If IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack had any doubts whether her team came to play in Thursday’s Big Ten Tournament opener against Northwestern, junior forward Amber Jackson quickly erased them. \nJackson set the tone early in IU’s 74-52 win, scoring the first seven points of the game and the first 11 points for IU. \n“She’s been working hard to have a moment like this,” Legette-Jack said. “She’s been in the gym working hard. She’s done all she can do to be the best she can be. For her to have an outing like this is really a tribute to what she’s done in the past.”\nJackson finished the game with 15 points and seven rebounds in only 21 minutes of play. \n“My teammates found me when I was open,” she said. “It was all about them seeing me and then just me making the easy layups.”\nJackson, a transfer from San Jose State, said the quick start gave her confidence in her first Big Ten Tournament game. \n“I was a little bit nervous before the game,” she said. “It’s like a new season. Now we’re 1-0, but we came in 0-0. It feels good to be playing now, and hopefully we can do well and make some noise.”\nNorthwestern coach Beth Combs said the early run by Jackson and IU was one of the keys to the game. \n“We talked a lot about rebounding and our help-side rotation,” she said. “They had four-on-three breaks and three-on-two breaks, and they’re making four passes in the paint, and we’re not making any stops. Amber did a great job of finishing down low. ”\nLegette-Jack said earlier in the week she wanted to keep her team focused on Northwestern after beating the Wildcats two times in the regular season. \nAfter Jackson’s early run and a 38-24 halftime lead, IU extended the lead to 26 points early in the second half and Legette-Jack gave some of the team’s younger players extended minutes in the tournament atmosphere. \n“We have a lot of freshmen that have never been here or played here, and for that matter, we have an upperclassman who hasn’t been here,” junior forward Whitney Thomas said. “It’s good to know the court and know the atmosphere and that really helped us.”\nJackson, who averages 12 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, will get a taste of what Big Ten Tournament play is like when the Hoosiers face Purdue today. Jackson said she is ready for the Boilermakers after a strong performance in her first game.\n“Purdue is our in-state rival so I’m excited to get out there and play hard and do what we can to win,” she said.
(03/07/08 5:17am)
INDIANAPOLIS – The IU women’s basketball team has a lot to play for in the Big Ten Tournament, and it showed in its dominating 74-52 first-round win over Northwestern on Thursday at Conseco Fieldhouse. \nThe Hoosiers finished the regular season 17-13 overall and 10-8 in the Big Ten, and will likely need a strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.\n“It feels good to see our team peaking at the right time,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said after the game. “We’ve finally gotten rid of some of our nagging injuries. We’re finally playing inside-out, and I’m really excited about what the future holds for our program.”\nIn the team’s tournament opener, the Hoosiers controlled the game from the outset, scoring the first seven points of the game and establishing a 38-24 advantage by halftime. \nJunior forward Amber Jackson scored a game-high 15 points after scoring the first 11 points for IU. Junior forward Whitney Thomas, who joined Jackson in the post, stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots. \n“It’s just my role for this team,” Thomas said of her performance. “I just step up when I need to and do what I’m supposed to do for the team.”\nNorthwestern struggled to control the Hoosiers’ inside combo of Jackson and Thomas, as IU scored 36 points in the paint and outrebounded the Wildcats 44-37. \n“All season long, we’ve struggled with boxing out,” Northwestern forward Amy Jaeschke said. “It’s a common theme for us. Once again, we didn’t step up and box out. That’s what has been killing us all year and it killed us again in this game.”\nSophomore guard Jamie Braun, IU’s leading scorer at 15.3 points per game, failed to score in the game but contributed with five assists and three steals in her 20 minutes of play. \n“Jamie was a major factor in our success today,” Legette-Jack said. “Her role just keeps stretching. We all know she can score, now we know she can distribute the ball and now we know she can push the ball a little bit. She probably had five or six deflections, so she’s doing some other things on the court that don’t get as recognized as scoring or rebounding.”\nThe Hoosiers harassed Northwestern on defense, forcing 19 turnovers in the game and limiting the Wildcats to 36.4 percent shooting from the field. \n“Their defense was really good,” Northwestern guard Jenny Eckhart said. “They were hedging the screens and got into the passing lanes.”\nLegette-Jack said IU will need to continue the good defense in order to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament. \n“I’m one of those old-time coaches,” she said. “I think defense creates your offense. I believe to win a championship you need great defense.”\nIU will play defending Big Ten tournament champion and No. 3 seed Purdue Friday afternoon. IU split its matchups against the Boilermakers this year, losing 55-49 at Assembly Hall on Jan. 3 and winning 66-54 at Mackey Arena on Jan. 14. \n“It’s a great in-state rivalry,” Legette-Jack said. “It’s just about us doing what we do. It’s not anything about Purdue. It’s about Indiana. We’re trying to accomplish something they’ve done already. We’re trying to get to where they are.”
(03/07/08 4:33am)
I made the trek to Indianapolis for first round action of the Big Ten Tournament. Unfortunately I was having some wireless issues, so I wasn't able to give you live updates. I do apologize.
(03/04/08 8:03am)
Fresh off a stellar freshman season, IU sophomore point guard Jamie Braun is having a breakout sophomore campaign. \nAfter earning Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year, an honor given to a team’s best player off the bench, and averaging 10.6 points per game off the bench her freshman year, Braun improved in every major statistical category this year and was named to both the media and coach's All-Big Ten teams.\nLost in the numbers and awards, however, is Braun’s transition from a score-first shooting guard to a team-first point guard. \n“Jamie’s playing big-time basketball,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “She’s doing some things with her right hand as well as her left hand. She’s feeling out where her teammates want the ball. She’s being a team player, but she’s attacking when she needs to attack.”\nLegette-Jack said it wasn’t easy to convince Braun to make the switch to point guard.\n“We fought this position at the beginning of the season,” she said. “She didn’t want to be a point guard, but we knew that she could be a great point guard and she’s proving us right.”\nNow, after a season running the team, Braun is a point guard first and a shooting guard second. Freshman Whitney Lindsay has seen some play at point guard, allowing Braun to move back to shooting guard. But Braun said it is now the shooting guard position that needs some refreshing.\n“I played two-guard all last year, so it’s coming back to me,” she said. “At first it was a little shaky.”\nWhile Braun is fulfilling the traditional role of a point guard – making her teammates better by setting up the offense and leading the team – she has also demonstrated that she is comfortable shooting the big shots. \nJust ask Ohio State coach Jim Foster. Braun knocked down big shot after big shot in a 69-61 upset against the Buckeyes on Feb. 25, and she had a personal 7-0 scoring run to give IU the lead in the second half.\n“She has a sense of who she is and knows what her strengths are and doesn’t shy away from wanting the ball in her hands when the game is on the line,” Foster said after the game. “She made some big-time plays.”\nPurdue coach Sharon Versyp said she knows how Braun can make an impact. After struggling in the first half, Braun hit two key 3-pointers, including one from several feet beyond the 3-point line, on the way to a 66-54 road victory against the Boilermakers Jan. 14. \n“As soon as you relax on her, she’s going to find a three and hit a three six-to-seven feet behind the line,” Versyp said after the game. “That’s what happens when you have a go-to player that wants the ball in their hand to make plays and knows they can do it.”\nLike Foster and Versyp, Northwestern coach Beth Combs has had to deal with Braun’s explosiveness. Braun made Northwestern players look silly on her way to 16 points in a 74-58 win against the Wildcats on Feb. 7. \n“She’s a tough player to defend,” Combs said. “You can be right in her face and she’s going to hit it or she’s going to go around you. She’s got a great little up-and-under move that guards aren’t used to defending.”\nBut when Braun is asked about her scoring ability – at 15.3 points per game she ranks fifth in the Big Ten – she doesn’t give herself a whole lot of credit.\n“I’ve just been feeding off my players,” she said. “They’ve been getting me the ball and setting amazing screens to get me open for easy shots that I have to make.”
(03/04/08 1:53am)
Jamie Braun and Whitney Thomas were named second team All-Big Team according to the media. Braun was second team and Thomas third team according to the coaches. Kim Roberson was also named to the All-Defensive team as picked by the coaches. Jolene Anderson of Wisconsin was the media's player of the year, while Ohio State freshman Jantel Lavendar was player of the year for the coaches. Lavender swept freshman of the year honors. Here are the first and second team media selections.
MEDIA: First team
Player School
JENNA SMITH ILL
Allyssa DeHaan MSU
Emily Fox MINN
Jantel Lavender OSU
JOLENE ANDERSON WIS
(03/03/08 6:01am)
After IU defeated Penn State 79-67 Sunday afternoon at Assembly Hall, all eyes were on senior guard Nikki Smith. \nSmith, who just completed the final home game of her career, was at the microphone for her post game ceremony. She ran through an extensive list of people to thank, everyone from family members to the fans to the team managers, making sure to credit everyone who made a difference in her career. \nOn the court, Smith turned in a performance to remember. \nAveraging 7.3 points per game coming into the game, Smith broke through with 17 points. She hit her first 3-point attempt 17 seconds into the game and never looked back on her way to five 3-pointers. \nBut after the game, Smith quickly deflected the praise to her teammates. \n“I didn’t really do that much,” she said. “Jamie (Braun) penetrated and hit me on the three, and then we had great ball movement today. I always say that I have the easiest part. I just get to stand there and shoot.”\nThe Hoosiers rallied around Smith in her final game, turning in an impressive overall team performance. \n“It was Nikki’s last game,” junior guard/forward Kim Roberson said after grabbing eight rebounds and scoring 17 points of her own. “I played for her and her energy, and I just wanted to make sure she went out on top.”\nIU played with passion all game long, diving for loose balls, fighting for rebounds and finding the open teammate. After the game, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said it was all in an effort to send off Smith in style. \n“They really love Nikki, and it was their energy towards her and their appreciation for all she’s done in her four years here,” Legette-Jack said of the team’s effort.\nAs a part of the “Head to the Hall” promotion, 8,136 fans showed up to the game, the most to watch a women’s basketball game at Assembly Hall. It was a fitting crowd to see Smith’s final home game. \n“The last four years have been so amazing here,” Smith said after the game. “Even though we don’t pull the greatest numbers, I truly believe our fan base is one of a kind because they come day in and day out to all of our games.”\nWith less than a minute remaining in the game, Legette-Jack substituted Smith out of the game one last time in front of the home crowd. The crowd was on its feet as Smith hugged Legette-Jack and the rest of her coaches and teammates before finding a seat on the bench.\nWith 184 career 3-pointers, Smith is second on IU’s all-time list for 3-pointers, but it hasn’t come easy for Smith during her four years.\nAfter being recruited by former coach Kathi Bennett her freshman year and playing one year under current Purdue coach Sharon Versyp, Smith has played under three different coaches. Through everything, however, she has remained loyal to IU.\n“I really do love this university, and I’m so proud to be a Hoosier,” she said.
(03/03/08 1:43am)
After today's win over Penn State, IU will be the No. 6 seed in the Big Ten tournament. They will face Northwestern in the first round on Thursday afternoon. If they win, they would play Purdue in the quarterfinals on Friday. Here is the press release from IU athletics.
(03/02/08 10:12pm)
After an entertaining halftime show by the IU cheerleaders, we are back to action on the court here at Assembly Hall.
(03/02/08 8:34pm)
Zach and I are here at Assembly where there is a nice crowd gathered to watch the IU women's team on Head to the Hall day. The Hoosiers are trying to break the Indiana on-campus attendance record of 14,124 fans set by Purdue in 1999. IU is also in need of another Big Ten victory before they head to the Big Ten tournament at the end of next week. I'll be with you throughout the game and I'll let you know if IU breaks the attendance record.
16:03 in 1st half: IU leads 9-0
Penn State coach Coquese Washington takes a 30-second timeout after IU starts the game on a 9-0 run. Nikki Smith knocked down her first 3-pointer on Senior day to give the Hoosiers a quick 3-0 lead. Penn State is opening the game in a 2-3 zone and the Hoosiers are getting really good looks offensivey against it. Jamie Braun and Amber Jackson both found the gaps in the zone and hit jump shots and Whitney Thomas added a layup.
11:27 in 1st half: IU leads 18-12
Nikki Smith hits another 3-pointer and adds a fast break layup. She has a quick eight points and looks like she is on her way for a nice performance in her last game at Assembly Hall. Meggan Quinn also hits a 3-pointer and then scores on a fast break layup for Penn State. Penn State is starting to get going a little bit on offense.
7:54 in 1st half: IU leads 27-19
Kim Roberson just went through her legs on a step-back move and hit a 3-pointer. Whitney Thomas and Amber Jackson both picked up two fouls. So, IU might have to go with a smaller lineup for the rest of the half. IU's guards are starting to get into the lane. Braun and Kim Roberson just made baskets driving to the hoop.
3:56 in 1st half: IU leads 35-23
Nikki Smith hit two more 3-pointers, giving her four in the first half and 14 points overall. IU has done a good job on the defensive end, playing without their two starting forwards due to foul trouble.
Halftime: IU leads 42-33
Penn State's Kamela Gissendanner misses a 3-pointer but grabs her own offensive rebound, scores and is fouled with 0.7 seconds left before the half. She completes the 3-point play to give Penn State some momentum going into the locker room. Nikki Smith is leading the Hoosiers with 14 points and Kim Roberson has 13 points.
(02/29/08 5:35am)
The IU women’s basketball team (16-13, 9-8), in need of a win to boost its NCAA tournament chances, dropped a crucial road game at Minnesota (19-10, 10-7), 69-54, on Thursday night marking the team’s fifth straight road loss. \nThe Hoosiers were riding high after a 69-61 overtime upset over No. 20 Ohio State on Monday night, but was unable to earn its first win at Minnesota since 2001.\nThe Hoosiers defeated the Golden Gophers 80-77 in double- overtime on Jan. 17 at Assembly Hall, but this game wasn’t nearly as close. The Hoosiers trailed 39-23 at halftime and found themselves down by as many as 22 points in the second half. \nIU began the game cold from the field and continued its poor shooting throughout the game. The Hoosiers went 7-of-24 from the field in the first half and finished the game 15-of-51 overall, including a 4-of-20 from the 3-point line.\nSophomore guard Jamie Braun led the way for IU with 16 points and junior guard Kim Roberson added 13 points. Junior forward Amber Jackson chipped in with nine. \nEmily Fox led the Golden Gophers with 20 points. On senior night at Minnesota, the Golden Gophers’ lone senior, Leslie Knight, turned in an impressive performance, finishing with 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. After the game, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack congratulated Knight on her career.\n“She played basketball well both times she played us,” she said. “I wish her all the best.”\nBoth teams struggled handling the ball. IU turned the ball over 21 times while forcing Minnesota into 23 turnovers. Minnesota won the battle on the boards, 39-30. \nIU has two wins over top 20 opponents on the season, but before the game, Legette-Jack said the Hoosiers would need to finish strong in their final two games if they wanted to solidify their case for an NCAA tournament bid.\nAfter missing an opportunity in Minnesota, IU will look to bounce back when they host Penn State on Sunday at Assembly Hall in the final regular season game of the year.
(02/29/08 5:34am)
When the IU women’s basketball team says goodbye to its lone \nsenior, Nikki Smith, the Hoosiers hope a record crowd will be at Assembly Hall to wish her farewell.\nIn an attempt to break an in-state, on-campus attendance record for a women’s basketball game, the Big Ten Network is aiding IU’s efforts by sponsoring “Head to the Hall” when the Hoosiers host Penn State at 4 p.m. Sunday.\n“IU women’s basketball is alive and well as we are creating a legacy here with tremendous student-athletes,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said in a statement. “We are looking to make history in Assembly Hall on March 2 by breaking the attendance record of 14,124 fans set by Purdue, and the Hoosiers need their sixth person in those seats.” \nPurdue set the attendance record at Mackey Arena during their 1999 national championship season. \nWith the help of the fans, Legette-Jack hopes the atmosphere at Assembly Hall will be a memorable one for everyone.\n“I think it’s going to be really fun,” she said. “I think it’s going to be something our kids haven’t ever experienced in their career. When the season is over, we’re going to look back and say, ‘Wow, we’re doing something here, and it really feels special.’”\nThe Hoosiers are 16-13 overall and 9-8 in the Big Ten. Stuck in the thick of the conference race, IU hopes some extra fan support will put them over the top in an important Big Ten game.\n“I’m hoping we can get a good fan base and I hope that we can show them a good show so they will come back,” sophomore guard Jamie Braun said. \nThe Big Ten Network has already purchased 5,000 tickets for the game, which they will donate to local charities. IU spokesperson Frank Cuervo said around 14,000 total tickets have been sold for Sunday’s game. \n“It’s a pretty daunting goal, but we are confident that we will have enough tickets sold and distributed,” Cuervo said. “The challenge will be to get everyone who bought a ticket to show up for the game.”\nDoors for the game will open at 1:30 p.m. in order to give IU fans a chance to watch the men’s team play at Michigan State on the JumboTron at 2 p.m. The first 3,000 fans in attendance will also receive a free t-shirt.\n“Overall, it should be a great event,” Cuervo said. “We’re really excited to help the growth of our women’s basketball program and bring more exposure to women’s basketball in the state of Indiana.”
(02/26/08 5:36am)
The IU women’s basketball team was all smiles after its 69-61 overtime win over No. 20 Ohio State on Monday night at Assembly Hall. \n“It’s a good day, because we can see our young women’s teeth,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said after the game. “They’re smiling.”\nAfter a 30-point loss at Wisconsin on Wednesday, the Hoosiers needed something to smile about. \n“We just came off a real tough situation out at Wisconsin, and we jumped on them really hard, and they handled it,” Legette-Jack said. “They came in to practice and they went three days hard. They paid attention to the defense and they bonded together. It’s really great to see that.”\nAfter Ohio State led 26-25 at halftime, the Buckeyes scored the first five points of the second half, before Legette-Jack called a quick timeout with 18:37 left in the game.\n“I thought we were playing not to lose, and that’s not what we were going to be good at,” she said. “We need to play committed basketball and defend the way we normally defend and not look at the score. I just quietly reminded them that we have a chance to be great if we play Indiana basketball.”\nIt took awhile, but Legette-Jack’s message eventually got through to the players. \nOhio State led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but the Hoosiers responded. IU continued to chip away at the Buckeyes’ lead and eventually forced overtime. \n“Our goal was to not look at the score, just keep plugging away and continue to stay \nbattle-ready for the entire 40 minutes,” Legette-Jack said. “All we wanted to do was give ourselves a shot. If we would’ve started looking at the score and panicking over that, we would’ve took ourselves out of it.”\nIU made an adjustment and attacked the basket offensively to score easy baskets and get to the free-throw line. The Hoosiers shot 21-of-24 from the foul line. \n“I think they played very well and they really took it to our guards and beat us off the dribble,” Ohio State coach Jim Foster said. “I thought their guards played very well.”\nWith IU trailing 52-46 with 6:09 to play, sophomore guard Jamie Braun scored seven straight points to put the Hoosiers up 52-51. \n“She’s just a very good offensive player,” Foster said of Braun. “She doesn’t shy away from having the ball in her hands with the game on the line. I thought she just made some big-time plays.”\nAfter scoring only six points in the first half, Braun said she made an effort to play more aggressively.\n“Second half, I just started attacking more,” Braun said. “The first half, I wasn’t playing my game. The second half, I just came out and played my game. I had some penetration and I made some baskets.”\nAfter finishing regulation tied at 54, the Hoosiers outscored Ohio State 15-7 in the overtime period. After all the Hoosiers have been through lately, Legette-Jack said it was a fitting ending. \n“Our ladies have been practicing too hard to relinquish this game,” she said. “I’m just really proud of them.”
(02/26/08 1:10am)
Here are some quick notes from the first half: Amber Jackson and Jamie Braun led IU in scoring with six points each. Tamarah Riley had 10 first half rebounds for OSU but the Buckeyes only out-rebounded IU 21-19. IU only turned the ball over five times compared to OSU's nine. We're ready to go now for the second half...
(02/26/08 12:16am)
Zach and I are here at Assembly Hall as the Hoosiers take on the No. 20 Buckeyes. IU is in need of a win after a 30 point road loss to Wisconsin last week. The Hoosiers need every win possible to boost their NCAA tournament resume. The starting lineup tonight for IU is Jamie Braun, Nikki Smith, Amber Jackson, Whitney Thomas and Whitney Lindsay. Kim Roberson will start out on the bench tonight. Jori Davis is dressed and on the bench. We'll see if she is able to play.
(02/18/08 5:34am)
The IU women’s basketball team (15-11, 8-6) took on a different look on its way to a 74-65 victory over Michigan (14-10, 7-7) Sunday afternoon at Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers wore pink headbands and pink warm-ups in honor of Think Pink and National Girls and Women in Sports Day. \nFans in attendance Sunday also wore pink to support breast cancer awareness and watched the Hoosiers get back in the win column after a loss to Michigan State Thursday night. \n“Our team played poised and we played focused,” said IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack. “Michigan is a great team as well, but we didn’t think about our opponent at all. It was all about what we came to do. Our challenge to our team today was if someone doesn’t ever see us play again, what kind of response are they going to have after this 40 minutes.” \nSophomore guard Jamie Braun and junior forward Whitney Thomas led the way for the Hoosiers, scoring 22 and 19 points, respectively. For Thomas, the impressive scoring output came after her four point game against Michigan State Thursday. \n“That was an off game that I had, and coach Jack said I need to change,” Thomas said. “So, that’s what I did this game.”\nThe Hoosiers shot 24 free throws and made 15 of them. After the game, Legette-Jack was proud of the way her team got to the line, but said they can still earn more trips to the charity stripe.\n“We attacked the basket,” she said. “We went back to who we were, and that’s attacking the basket. When we attack the basket, great things happen. I don’t know when the last time we shot 24 free throws was. I still think we can go for 30.”\nFreshmen Georgia Follmer and Whitney Lindsay earned spots in the starting lineup Sunday in place of senior guard Nikki Smith and junior forward Amber Jackson. \nLegette-Jack said the starting lineup shuffle was due to matchups more than anything else. \n“Any given day, your number is going to be called and you are going to have to respond to that,” she said. \nLindsay responded well, playing 35 minutes on Sunday, which was also her birthday. \n“It was exciting for me because it was my birthday,” Lindsay said “It’s a different energy coming off the bench compared to as a starter. As a starter, you get the chemistry started instead of coming into it. It gave me more energy.”\nLindsay’s performance also gave her teammates extra excitement, and Legette-Jack was impressed with her play. \n“Whitney definitely responded to great minutes,” Legette-Jack said. “She played with a passion and a lot of poise. She had a lot of contributions to players that like to shoot the ball. She looked up and saw some things. I think Jaime, being a point guard, we lose sight of her being a scorer and this gave us an opportunity to utilize her as a scorer.”\nLegette-Jack said she was pleased with how her team responded after losing 65-54 at Michigan Jan. 24.\n“We were fumbling the ball. We were going left and right instead of front and back,” she said of the first game against Michigan. “I think it’s important for our team to continue to move forward and learn as we did today.”\nAt 8-6 in the Big Ten, IU regained sole possession of fifth place in the conference standings. With four more regular season games remaining in the season, Legette-Jack said she is happy with where her team stands. \n“There’s a lot of room to do some fun things in this conference,” she said.