IUWBB - IU @ Illinois 2/10

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,341]

Jumping the gun at opening the thread, because I've not yet seen all of the game details but there's a nice article about Jenn Anderson and the injuries she's fighting through that's good reading in advance of tomorrow night's game.

 

Anderson Not Letting Injuries Slow Her Down

By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Make no doubt about it, Jenn Anderson is hurting.
 
Her junior season began with missed practice time from a combination of lower back pain and sickness. Within the last month, she's added a broken finger and a sore right shoulder to her growing injury report that's left her limited in practice.
 
Anderson has pushed through the pain. She had to, really.
 
Indiana's most experienced true post wasn't about to let the discomfort keep her off the floor.
 
"It's rewarding that I can still play through the pain and nagging injuries," she said. "Yeah, it's not perfect, but I'm still producing and doing what I need to do for this team."
 
A fractured middle finger on Anderson's left hand is the most obvious damage. She hardly noticed it when she broke it a month ago during Indiana's road game against Purdue and figured she had jammed it.
 
When the Hoosiers' trainers recommended she take a visit to the hospital the next day, the doctor said there wasn't much he could do to help. It was fractured and would require a surgery Anderson opted to push off to the end of the season.
 
Anderson quickly began a trial-by-fire crash course in playing with two of her left fingers taped together. The fortunate part was the injury happened on her non-shooting hand, but she said she's had to adjust the way she grips the ball and takes left-handed layups.
 
Compounded with a shoulder injury she suffered just last week, Moren said Anderson has plenty of reason to make excuses.
 
She just hasn't.
 
"We don't do any building excuses around our program," head coach Teri Moren said. "Right now, she's being limited because she is all right handed and just doesn't look comfortable."
 
Even so, Anderson hasn't missed any of Indiana's 24 games and averages 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game. The latter two are on pace to be career-best season marks should she continue to play at the pace she's been at.
 
Since the start of the Big Ten season, Anderson has set single-game career high in rebounds (11 against Michigan) and scored a season-high 18 points against Iowa. But teammates say the things Anderson does best aren't kept on the scoresheet.
 
"She does the dirty work for us," junior guard Alexis Gassion said. "She's tough, draws charges and when she's not getting rebounds, she's blocking out for one of us to go get them and start the break. We really need that from her."
 
Anderson's most complete season to date is coming in a transitional year for Indiana's post. She's mentoring the likes of freshmen Kym Royster and Danielle Williams knowing that she can't afford to get into foul trouble because there's not much size on the roster behind her.
 
Before the season even began, Anderson said she dropped weight and added muscle mass to make getting up and down the floor easier. It's a change she deemed necessary if she was going to anchor the Hoosiers in the post in her final two seasons.
 
"The biggest thing I knew I had to do was getting into shape so I could do all they needed me to do," Anderson said. "I'm less tired now and playing with more energy even with the injuries. It's rewarding to know that my hard work in the offseason has paid off."
 
Anderson's commitment to getting into shape, mentoring Indiana's young posts and now playing through injuries reflects a growth in maturity, Moren said. And it comes at a welcome time for a young Hoosier team that doesn't have nearly as much experience as some of its Big Ten opponents.
 
So don't expect Anderson to take time off any time soon whether she's hurt or not.
 
She's found a way to manage so far.
 
"We need her," Moren said. "There's no question we need her."

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,341]

Indiana (15-9, 7-5) at Illinois (8-15, 1-11)
Wednesday, Feb. 10 • 8 p.m. ET
State Farm Center • Champaign, Ill.
Television: BTN Plus
Radio: IU Radio Network (Greg Murray).

Stats:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/illinois/wbball/

 

DID YOU KNOW?
• Indiana defeated Illinois in their first meeting this season on Jan. 20 in Assembly Hall, 68-66. The Hoosiers trailed by 11 heading into the fourth quarter before mounting the comeback to take the win, including closing the game on an 8-0 run.
• Five times this season, the Hoosiers have overcame a deficit heading into the fourth quarter to earn a win.
• Indiana's seven wins in Big Ten play this year are the programs most since 2009-10 and IU's seven victories are the program's most through 12 conference games played since 2008-09.
• IU has held two Big Ten opponents under 50 points this year (Rutgers, Nebraska), marking the first time an Indiana team has held at least a pair of conference foes under 50 in the same season since 2005-06.
• The Hoosiers have won the rebounding battle in four of the last five games, winning all four of those contests as IU is 10-1 in games where it outrebounds an opponent this season.
• Indiana is a perfect 11-0 in games played in Assembly Hall this year, the best home start in program history.
• The Hoosiers are the only team in the Big Ten with an unblemished home record this season and one of just 20 teams nationally without a home defeat.
• Indiana has defeated three ranked opponents this season, tying for the most wins over ranked foes in a single regular season in program history.
• This year marks the fourth time in program history and the first time in 18 years that Indiana has defeated three ranked opponents during regular season play. IU downed three ranked teams during the regular season schedule previously during 1985-86, 1993-94 and 1997-98.
• Tyra Buss and Amanda Cahill both achieved double-doubles in Indiana's win over Nebraska, marking the third time this season that IU has had two players get double-doubles in the same game. That marks the first time Indiana has had three or more games with multiple players with double-doubles in the same season since 2006-07 (5 times).
• Buss' stat line in the Nebraska win was 17 points, 11 rebounds (season high), seven steals (season high) and six assists. She's scored in double figures in every game this season and in 28 straight games dating back to last year, the longest such streak for an Indiana player since 1998.
• Cahill finished with 16 points and a season-high 14 boards against Nebraska for her seventh double-double of the year. That's the most double-doubles by an IU player in a single season since 2008-09 (Whitney Thomas, 10).

 

MOST BIG TEN WINS IN SIX YEARS
With Sunday's win over Nebraska, it gave Indiana its seventh Big Ten victory on the season, marking the program's most wins in conference play since 2009-10. IU's current 7-5 record in Big Ten games is the program's most victories through 12 conference games since 2008-09.  Earlier this year with consecutive wins over Illinois, Northwestern and Rutgers, the Hoosiers won three straight Big Ten games for the first time since Jan. 2009.
 
COMEBACK KIDS
Seven times this season, Indiana has faced late second-half deficits before overcoming them to earn a victory, including five games where IU trailed heading into the fourth quarter.

 

REBOUNDS = Ws
In four of the last five games (at Northwestern, Rutgers, Iowa, Nebraska), the Hoosiers have outrebounded the opposition. Eleven times total this year, the Hoosiers have outrebounded an opponent. IU is currently 10-1 in games in which it outrebounds its foe as Indiana picked up other wins winning that category against Tennessee State, Chattanooga, at IPFW, Samford, Yale and Michigan.
 
GET ON THE BUSS
Indiana sophomore Tyra Buss has scored 805 career points to become just the eighth player in program history to ever eclipse the 800-point mark in freshman and sophomore seasons played at IU.
 
With her 17 points in the win over Iowa, Buss has scored in double figures in every game this season and in 28 games consecutively dating back to last year, making her the first IU player with such a streak since Quacy Barnes scored in double digits in 37 consecutive games between the end of 1996-97 season and the start of 1997-98. Buss leads Indiana in scoring (18.5 ppg), assists (4.5 apg) and steals (2.0 spg) while playing 37.2 minutes per game (3rd in B1G, 21st nationally) and a Big Ten leading 893 minutes played total (6th nationally). She also adds 5.0 rebounds per game as she's tallied 20 or more points in 10 contests.
 
In each of the last two games and in three of the last five, Buss has achieved a double-double. Her stat line last time out vs. Nebraska was 17 points, 11 rebounds (season high), seven steals (season high), six assists and a block. She now has four career double-double performances.
 
Buss leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in free throws made (149) and second nationally in attempts (191). Her 191 free throw attempts rank ninth in Indiana history for most attempts in a single season.  With her four free throws made against Nebraska, Buss now ranks sixth in program history for most free throws made in a single season.

[LockdownD 2,212]

There should be no need for a comeback in this game. Illinois is at the bottom of the conference. This is an opportunity to win one that we should and move up in the standings. The Hoosiers are at their best when they are the aggressors. Go Hoosiers. Beat Illini.

[X-Hoosier 529]

Love watching the women's team! Plan on going to another game or 2 this year.

[LockdownD 2,212]

Just checked and Hoosiers up 44-34 at the half.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,341]

Illinois scored the first 7 points and then our Ladies took control.  Everybody in the scoring column.

Buss - 15; Cahill - 9; McBride - 7; Gassion - 6

Cahill with 5 reb., Gassion and Anderson with 4 each; Buss with 3.

No one in foul trouble.

 

Ladies outscored Illini 8 - 0 on fastbreak pts., and 11 - 0 from the foul line.  48% from the floor, 37% on 3's.  20 - 17 rebounding edge and only 5 TO's.

 

Good first half; just keep it going Ladies.

[LockdownD 2,212]

62-54 after 3. Finish it, girls.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,341]

End of the 3rd and it's far from over but the Lady Hoosiers still lead  62 - 54.

 

Buss with 15, Cahill 13 and off the bench Royster with 10 pts., Gassion and Cahill with 8 reb. each.  Anderson only Hoosier in foul trouble with 4.  Shooting % has cooled especially on 3's where they are only 3 of 14.  Continue to control the boards with a 36 - 24 rebounding edge and 15 -7 on the offensive glass which has led to 15 second chance pts.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,341]

VICTORY!    Lady Hoosiers  80  Illinois  68.             8th B1G win of the season and 2nd road win.

 

Didn't shoot particularly well but dominated the backboard by a 47 - 31 margin; 17 - 8 on the offensive glass that resulted in 17 second chance pts.  They did commit 15 TO's which allowed Illinois to score 22 pts. 

 

Buss - 21 pts., 5 reb., 4 assists and 2 steals.

Cahill - 15 pts., 12 reb.

McBride, Gassion - each with 10 pts.    Gassion also with 9 reb.

Royster great contribution off the bench with 10 pts. and 10 reb. in 15 min. of action.

Cahill with her 8th double double of the season.

 

Congrats to the Ladies on a job well done.  Next game is a Valentine's Day special on the 14th at home vs. Wisky.

[LockdownD 2,212]

Hoosiers win 80-68.

[LockdownD 2,212]

The win tonight moves the Hoosiers up to 5th place in the standings. I see the girls take on Wisconsin on Sunday in AH. Stay perfect at home and get another win. I would love to see this team break into the top 4 and get a two day bye for the conference tourney.

[ccgeneral 38,084]

WTG Lady Hoosiers! Kudos to CTM for getting things turned around this year after the mass exodus. Now lets keep AH warm on Sunday and take one back from Wisky. Should be gravy.