Freshman steps up 'passion'

Outhustling the opponent for a loose ball, taking four dribbles, outrunning three opposing players and knocking down a seven footer. In only her first season at IU, this act has already become routine for freshman guard Cyndi Valentin.\nDespite two Hoosier losses this past weekend, Valentin, a Bloomington native, tallied 12 and nine points respectively.\nShe has on more than one occasion been knocked to the floor but has quickly rebounded to her feet. The more she gets knocked down the more she seems to play with fire and willpower.\n"She competes so hard and with so much passion," IU coach Kathi Bennett said. "She played incredibly hard this past weekend. Her play was very determined. She was fighting very hard."\nValentin fouled out in the game against Michigan State on Sunday but played 32 minutes and added four rebounds with four steals.\n"Cyndi got after it on defense this past weekend," Bennett said. "She can be a huge scoring threat and has shown the ability to score this year."\nValentin's career-high in scoring came against Illinois State, when she recorded 22 points on 8-for-13 shooting on Dec. 30.\nA 2002 Indiana All-Star, Valentin said basketball fuels her competitive nature. \n"It's something at this level that you have to love to do," Valentin said. "It's something competitive, and I am a very competitive person, so it works out well."\nValentin is scoring at a 10.8 points per game clip, a mark good enough to rank her in the top thirty scorers in the Big Ten. She is first in free throw shooting percentage, shooting 100 percent during conference play. She has converted 24 consecutive free throws, good for second place all-time on the consecutive free throw list at IU. Kristi Green holds the first place spot with 31 consecutive free throws made in 1998. \nSophomore guard/forward Jenny DeMuth said that Valentin takes pride in her performance from the line, and DeMuth said she hopes that will rub off on the rest of the team.\nValentin had her own praise for DeMuth. \n"She is great. She stretches out the defense and gives me very good looks," Valentin said. "Her driving ability allows me to spot up and get open shots."\nWhile Valentin gave credit to DeMuth, DeMuth elaborated on the intangibles of Valentin. \n"Cyndi's a flat-out competitor," DeMuth said. "She's fun to play with. She has a fundamentally sound shot, and she can squeeze her way to the basket."\nDeMuth said the most valuable aspect to Valentin's game is her hustle. Valentin fights for every loose ball and isn't afraid to stick her nose in there, DeMuth said.\n"If she makes a mistake, she takes it in stride," DeMuth said. "She learns from it and moves on. She forgets about it and doesn't let it bother her."\nBennett remembered recruiting Valentin and how Valentin impressed her in high school. She recalled watching Valentin play as a junior at Bloomington High School South. Bennett said she was sitting high up in the gym and kept moving closer because she was so impressed with Valentin's ability. \nValentin still has a good deal of time remaining at IU and needs to continue to improve, Bennett said. Bennett added that if Valentin continues to improve she could be a very solid player and become one of the better players she has ever coached.\n"She can be one of the best players in the Big Ten," Bennett said. "I want her to lead us to a Big Ten Championship."\nWith three full years left at IU, Valentin may do just that.