Hoosiers look to extend winning streak

Last year, a last-second three-pointer lifted the Hoosiers over eventual Pac-10 champion Washington at Assembly Hall. Tonight, IU looks to remain undefeated against the Huskies on their turf.\nThe Hoosiers travel to the West Coast for the second time this season when they play in the Big Ten/Pac-10 challenge this weekend. They play Washington (4-3) tonight and Washington State (2-4) at 1 p.m. Sunday. Besides weathering a road trip the weekend before final exams, players and coaches have to deal with a three-hour time difference.\nThe IU-Washington game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. Pacific Time, or midnight Eastern Time.\n"They're pretty young, and I think they might be more awake," IU coach Kathi Bennett said of her players. "I think the coaching staff is the one that has to worry about the late start. I feel like we'll be all right."\nThe Hoosiers last traveled west in mid-November for the Stanford Tournament, dropping the opener to No. 5 Stanford but knocking off Western Kentucky.\nIU has won all three meetings against Washington, including a 77-74 season-opening win last year. In overtime, then-junior forward Tara Jones missed two free-throw attempts but hit a three-pointer at the buzzer off an inbounds pass.\nJunior guard Jill Hartman said she expects the Huskies to remember that loss and be ready to avenge it.\nThe Huskies come into the game with a balanced attack. Four Huskies score in double figures -- guard Loree Payne, center Andrea Lalum, forward Emily Autrey and guard Giuliana Mendiola, an All-Pac-10 freshman last year.\nAfter averaging 17 points a game in last season's NCAA tournament, where Washington reached the Elite Eight, Payne leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.7 points. She missed last year's game against the Hoosiers because of an injury.\nThe Huskies average 40.9 rebounds a game -- compared to IU's 44.2 -- and the entire team threatens from the perimeter. All five starters shoot better than 28 percent from three-point range. Autrey is shooting 33 percent (5-of-15), while Lalum makes 29 percent of her threes (5-of-17).\n"I guess they have their top three-point shooting percentages, so our (power forward and center) are definitely going to have to go out and contest some shots," said Cassady, who hits 55.6 percent of her threes. "The guards will have to help them."\nBennett said she expects her entire team to step up in order to upset the Huskies. Freshman Jenny DeMuth, Hartman and junior Khisha Asubuhi will back up Cassady at point guard. Senior center Jill Chapman needs 42 points to become fifth on IU's all-time scoring list. She averages 17 points, 11.7 rebounds and two blocks a game. \nBennett could reach another milestone if her team wins both games -- she's two wins away from 250 career victories.\n"We need to have good one-on-one containment and do a great job," said Bennett. "I feel their post players are tremendous, along with their guards. I feel like they don't have a weakness. They play hard defensively. They spread you out. They take care of the ball"