Hoosiers outmuscle Finnish team

Coach Kathi Bennett's stingy defense showed some signs of arriving Friday as IU forced 32 turnovers in overpowering Finnish traveling team, Tapiolan Honka, 87-39.\n"We were aggressive," Bennett said. "I think this builds confidence for us."\nAt one point in Friday's game, Bennett's defense had created 23 turnovers, while allowing only 23 points.\nPlaying one-on-one defense the entire game, the Hoosiers cut down passing lanes and wreaked havoc in the post for Tapiolan Honka, who were at a huge size advantage. \nThe Hoosiers have six players 6-0 or higher, compared to Tapiolan Honka's two. The IU post defense of juniors Jill Chapman and Jelena Lazic, as well as sophomore Erika Christenson, who average 6-5, dwarfed Tapiolan Honka's Nina Laaksonen and Heta Korpivaara, at 6-1.\nThe tremendous size advantage was exploited on the offensive end as well IU continually pounded the ball down low where the Hoosier frontcourt imposed its will on the Finnish team.\nChapman led the down-low presence finishing with 13 points and 12 rebounds in just 17 minutes of play.\n"I'm more aggressive when I playing against smaller players," said Chapman of the Tapiolan Honka team. "Tonight was good. It shows that I need to be as aggressive against taller teams."\nThe Hoosiers were sloppy with the ball at times, committing 24 turnovers. They were surprised with zone presses and traps by Tapiolan Honka that they had not worked on breaking in practice, Bennett said.\n"We had way too many turnovers and way too many breakdowns," Bennett said. "That's something we need to address.\n"It's a big concern. In the second half, we adjusted."\nSophomore Jill Hartman started at small forward in place of junior Erin McGinnis, who sat out the entire first half and the first five minutes of the second half. Bennett would not comment on why McGinnis sat.\nIn her place, Hartman went four-for-seven from the field, scoring 12 points.\n"I wanted to bring some energy to the team," Hartman said. "I think that's what we were missing Tuesday." \nWhen McGinnis came in with 14:22 left in the game, she shot two-for-three from the field, and one-for-two from three-point range, a far cry from her one-for-eight performance Tuesday. She also had four assists and four rebounds.\nBennett said she was happy with McGinnis' play.\nShe added she was also happy that her team played hard for 40 minutes. Intensity was something she criticized after their first preseason game, a 74-64 loss to the Lady Reebok All-Stars.\n"If we are going to win games, we're going to have to play hard, no matter what the score is," Bennett said. "And that's what we did tonight"