Young team eager for new season debut

When most people think of IU's Midnight Madness they think of the beginning of the season for men's basketball. But after last year's success, more people will be paying attention to the women's basketball team.\n"I think the energy you get at Midnight Madness is awesome," coach Kathi Bennett said. "It's neat for the team to show how hard they've worked. They've earned the ability to do this in front of a huge crowd of people."\nFreshman forward Brigett Branson said the crowd will be the best part of Midnight Madness and is excited to experience the atmosphere where so many people will be cheering for the team. \n"They (the crowd) should be amazing when we take the floor Friday night," Branson said. "It's good when you can get not only students involved, but also the community."\nStudents and the community will be viewing a team coming off an improbable Big Ten Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament bid. Even after a first round loss in the NCAA Tournament, the team is looking to continue its late season success from a year ago and Bennett said she hopes to gain new fans at Friday's late night practice.\n"I am very thankful to Coach Davis for letting us be a part of this," Bennett said. "It's for the players more than anyone."\nLeeAnn Stephenson, a junior guard from Tennessee, said she is curious about her first Midnight Madness experience at IU.\n"I'm really excited to see what it's like but don't know exactly what to expect," she said.\nThe junior college transfer said students should check out Midnight Madness to get to know some of the faces that will be playing this year. Stephenson said new fans can get a glimpse at what Big Ten and IU basketball are all about.\nA young IU team will take to the court this season as they have seven underclassmen, including five freshmen, and only six experienced players from last season. The Hoosiers lost two graduates, point guard Heather Cassady and center Jill Chapman. \nWhile Bennett was dealt a young team this year, she said it's one of the hardest working teams she's ever coached.\n"We're probably in the best condition that I've seen a team in for a long time," Bennett said. "We've had really hard workouts. The team is hungry to get the season started."\nStephenson said the team is not only working hard on the court but off the court as well. Many new players have been working hard to get to know their new teammates.\n"In individuals there's only a few of us. When we go to play all together we're really just trying to gel and I think that's really important," Stephenson said. "It will make it easier for us to really get into it."\nBranson said she wants to see big crowds at their games this year and that Midnight Madness lets basketball fans know there is another team besides the men.\n"This program is on the up-and-up and they provide everything we need," Branson said. "It starts with Midnight Madness"