TERRE HAUTE — With Indiana State’s women’s basketball team ranking eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference in field-goal percentage (36.5), the Sycamores need as many shot attempts as possible to maintain their standing on top of the league.
Heading into this past weekend’s two-game homestand, coach Jim Wiedie was focused on motivating more production from his post players. He made this clear to his players during a 3-hour, 15 minute practice early in the week.
Wiedie told senior Kara Schilli that her recent rebounding statistics weren’t cutting it. Prior to the Southern Illinois victory on Thursday, Wiedie found that Schilli had only four offensive rebounds in the past seven games.
After apparently studying Dennis Rodman highlights during her spare time, Schilli crashed the glass for nine offensive rebounds in ISU’s sweep of Southern Illinois and Evansville. She had six offensive boards in Saturday’s game alone.
“For a kid that athletic and talented and who’s known for her rebounding, we need more than four offensive rebounds [in a seven-game spa],” Wiedie said. “Kara has taken it upon herself to get back to flying all over the place, bringing that energy and coming up with big, big boards. When she does that and you’ve got Bianca [Jarrett] playing at a high energy level, the rest of those kids just feed off of that.”
The Sycamores converted on just two of Schilli’s offensive boards, with Schilli setting up Jarrett for a layup on one of those. Schilli’s playmaking ability should also be noted as a big spark. Schilli’s 44 assists this season are barely behind Kelsey Luna’s 49 for team-high honors. Luna and Schilli each have 16 in conference play.
“Her intensity level and her effort and her commitment to this team, especially to the rebounding aspect of the game is just incredible,” Luna said of Schilli after Saturday’s victory. “It’s great to have her on our team. She’s the spark plug. She’s the one we look to emulate and copy everything she does because she’s just putting her heart on the floor every single time we step on the floor. That’s her role, and we admire her for that.”
Schilli’s fellow frontcourt starter Saturday, 6-foot-4 freshman Shannon Thomas struggled to be a factor in the game until late in the first half. But Thomas finished with seven points and seven rebounds and continues to be a big reason for the Sycamores’ outstanding defense this season. Thomas has improved dramatically on the boards as the season has gone along — she has two 11-rebound performances in MVC play already — but I’d like to see her add a tad more Bill Laimbeer style physicality to go with Schilli’s Rodman.
ISU held UE’s experienced post duo of Shannon Novosel and Robyn Jennings to a combined 8-for-24 shooting day.
“When you’ve got somebody like Shannon, you just get your hands up and you just keep moving your feet and they’ve got to shoot over 6-4,” Wiedie said.
Evansville coach Misty Murphy was frustrated by ISU outscoring the Aces in the paint 20-14.
“We tried to go over [Thomas] instead of trying to go right by her,” Murphy said.
ISU’s defensive identity this season has been a team effort on the floor, and it’s been an impressive job by the coaching staff in practice and in mixing up the defenses.
ISU is No. 2 in the conference through seven games, allowing just 54.0 points-per-game. Creighton is first at 50.9. The Sycamores also rank third in field-goal percentage defense, holding teams to 36.8 overall 28.0 from beyond the 3-point line for No. 2 in the league in that category.
Keep in mind that five of these first seven conference games have been in the friendly confines of Hulman Center. How this team, which will rely more heavily on some inexperienced freshmen now that Leah Phillips and Deja Mattox are lost for the season, stays composed on the road is going to be key in how they finish this season. ISU’s 77-53 loss at Missouri State may be a warning of some rough road moments to come.
Regardless, it’s been a solid start to MVC play. Luna talked about heart. Maybe if the Sycamores continue to want it more than their opponents they can keep on rolling.
“… They just keep battling and find a way to get it done,” Wiedie said. “We got stops when we needed to, got baskets when we needed to.”
• • •
• Close call — The coaching staff got a scare with five minutes to go in Saturday’s game when Thomas landed awkwardly after an ISU possession. She grabbed her ankle in pain and left the game before returning with under a minute to go.
“It’s like what else can happen,” said Wiedie after already losing Deja Mattox to an ACL tear Thursday and Leah Phillips to the same injury Jan. 1. “We were worried [Saturday] in shoot around.”
“Kara tripped over a line,” added assistant coach Clint Weddle.
Wiedie continued: “They ran into each other a few times. I thought good Lord, we’re going to get hurt in shootaround.”
Because of the injuries, Wiedie alluded to getting more minutes from other freshmen such as Megan Burton, Kayla Mullins and Amanda Pedro. Wiedie likes the 6-2 Burton’s ability to shoot the 3 and grab some rebounds.
Kelsey Luna and Brittany Schoen each played 39-plus minutes.
“We’re going to have to ride it out and find a couple other players to get some more minutes.”
Craig Pearson can be reached by e-mail at craig.pearson@tribstar.com or by phone after 4 p.m. at (812) 231-4357.
Given to Fly
January 25, 2009
Given to Fly: Schilli’s Rodman-like performance aids ISU
- Given to Fly
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GIVEN TO FLY: Come to expect new standards of excellence
Records are definitely meant to be broken; athletes today are faster and stronger than those in the past in many endeavors in athletics.
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GIVEN TO FLY: ISU women have solid recruiting class
The caliber of athletes that the Indiana State women’s basketball coaching staff is bringing in is on an upswing.
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GIVEN TO FLY: Major leaguers John, Dorsett meet up at tonight’s game
Terre Haute’s only two big leaguers of the last 50 years — Tommy John and Brian Dorsett — will catch up with one another today.
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FOOT NOTES: Valley natives perform well on national stage
Several Wabash Valley natives continue to shine on the national track and field scene.
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'Til It's Over: Sycamores ‘in a good place,’ but searching for more in MVC
Can Teri Moren lift Indiana State, last year’s seventh-place team in the Missouri Valley Conference, to one of the league’s contenders in her first year on campus?
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'Til It's Over: Two sets of identical twins should keep North Central baseball a contender
The last high school baseball team standing in the Wabash Valley was the North Central, the Thunderbirds falling short 4-3 in the Class A Semistate on Saturday just one game shy of Victory Field.
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'Til It's Over: Jarvis, Anderson confident Olney, hard work leads to Division I dream
Olney, Ill., population 8,000-plus and known for its population of white squirrels, might not be the dream destination for high school basketball players in Indiana.
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'Til It's Over: Robinson 7-footer more focused in postseason; 6-foot Jones keeps producing
Robinson 7-footer Meyers Leonard is not going to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA some day, but his odds of reaching the league are pretty solid if his game continues to evolve as it has during high school.
- 'Til It's Over: ‘Stepping stone’ game points Sycamores in right direction Whether the win comes against a top-25 team or a conference pushover, ending a four-game losing streak is always a relief.
- 'Til It's Over: Indianapolis ISU recruit rolling along in senior season As Indiana State recruit Anna Munn approached Christmas with the Decatur Central basketball team, the senior guard didn’t seem to need much of a wishlist.
- 'Til It's Over: Magic’s still there for '79 Sycamores For the former Indiana State players who visited the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in late November, the weekend was a chance to relive memories with teammates and see Larry Bird’s career with the Sycamores celebrated again.
- CRAIG PEARSON: North has strong history in cross country state finals Vigo County is home to just four IHSAA state championships in team sports. Most recently, Terre Haute South won girls titles in basketball (2002) and tennis (2001).
- 'Till It's Over: It’s been rough year but no need to break up Cubs' core Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry is only in the first year of a three-year contract, and aren’t back-to-back division championships enough to keep him around despite this year’s season filled with bad luck?
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'Til It's Over: Hansbrough, Hibbert give Pacers glimpse of future
You might have heard of the Indiana Pacers’ 2009 first-round draft pick. He was on the television once in a while during his four-year career at North Carolina.
- 'Til It's Over: Bertoli, Moore put on show in abundance of events “Anthony and Erica” may not have the marketing capability of “Dan and Dave,” but neither of Indiana State’s outstanding multi-event participants had let-down performances this weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference Championships.
- ‘Walking wounded’: ISU seniors return to provide spark All three ISU seniors will graduate in May, and all three will be in uniform today as Indiana State battles Bradley in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament quarterfinals.
- Given to Fly: Northview standout runner Thacker coming to ISU Doc Brown told an old-timer in a saloon in “Back to the Future III” that despite having automobiles in the future people run for recreation.
- Given to Fly: Schilli’s Rodman-like performance aids ISU With Indiana State’s women’s basketball team ranking eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference in field-goal percentage (36.5), the Sycamores need as many shot attempts as possible to maintain their standing on top of the league.
- Given to Fly: A classic in every sense of the word What tournament director and co-founder Gary Fears had in mind when creating the tournament came to fruition Tuesday. Marshall, with an enrollment of 438 students, became the smallest school to win the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic in the ninth season of the tourney.
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Given to Fly: ISU women should build confidence off strong outing
Indiana State did not pull off the monumental upset Saturday against No. 23 Kansas State, but the Wildcats are —aside from Connecticut in 2005 — the best team the Sycamores have played in the Jim Wiedie era.
- Given to Fly: ISU women's hoops team slides onto commercial radio Coach Jim Wiedie expects the Indiana State women’s basketball team to have a bit of a retro feel this season, meaning the Sycamores have the potential to get back to creating havoc with their full-court press.
- Given to Fly: ISU vets hope to prove pundits wrong Indiana State’s only two seniors were surprised to see they were picked ahead of just three Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball teams Tuesday morning.
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Footnotes: In first marathon, former Sycamore comes out a winner
Indiana State graduate Dani Prince made her debut in the event with a victory in the Columbus Marathon on Sunday.
Prince’s goal was a time under 2 hours and 50 minutes, and she ran a 2:48.56. -
Given To Fly: ISU volleyball turning things around
It was an extremely busy weekend for Indiana State athletics this weekend.
- Footnotes: Here’s hoping perfect weather is still around for Nationals in November The weather made for a perfect fall afternoon Saturday at LaVern Gibson Championship Course. For what it’s worth, the Farmer’s Almanac calls for more sunny conditions from Nov. 20-24, with the NCAA Championships falling on the 24th this year.
- Terre Haute natives cherish memories of ‘House that Ruth Built’ Yankee Stadium was packed as usual on Easter Sunday in 1979. George Steinbrenner’s Yankees were one loss away from being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers to start the season. That was no way for the two-time defending World Series champions to perform, so the boss had a conversation with his new veteran left-handed starting pitcher prior to the game.
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Footnotes: Oregon men and women have strangehold on preseason NCAA cross countryrankings
The Oregon men and women were almost both unanimous picks as the No. 1 teams in the nation in the preseason cross country national rankings released recently.
- Given to Fly: Bronze medalist has strong ISU ties One of the remarkable American medalists of this 2008 Olympics thus far also provided one of the most sparkling stories in the brief history of the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course here in Terre Haute.
- Former ISU QB gets back to Amarillo This week, Indiana State signed its most highly-touted football prospect in years, and former quarterback Julian Reese is ripping it up for the Amarillo Dusters of Arena2.
- Indiana State track sending strong group to NCAA regional Three sophomore women and three senior men lead a large Indiana State contingent of track and field athletes into the NCAA Mideast Regional this weekend at Fayetteville, Ark.
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