Defensive intensity helps out offense

Prior to Sunday's game against No.15 Minnesota, the IU women's basketball team needed to furiously defend and not let the Golden Gophers attempt easy shots. The Hoosiers (9-11, 2-8 Big Ten) carried that insistent demeanor over to offense, as they continuously drove to and attacked the basket at Assembly Hall.\nIU coach Kathi Bennett said part of the game plan coming in was attacking the basket and the Hoosiers followed the script, despite a 59-56 loss to Minnesota (17-4, 6-4 Big Ten). \n"Early on, they seemed to be calling the game tight, so we knew we could get them in foul trouble," Bennett said. "We wanted to get to the (free throw) line, too, and we knew attacking the basket would get us there."\nIU attempted 19 free throws for the contest, four more than Minnesota. Golden Gopher sophomore center Janel McCarville fouled out of the contest late in the second half after grabbing 14 rebounds and scoring 12 points. On the other side, IU had two players finish the game with four fouls, senior guard Kristen Bodine and freshman forward Brigett Branson.\nIU was able to hold the nation's best field goal percentage team to just under 40 percent for the game, a far cry from their 52 percent shooting entering the game.\nIU insisted on driving the ball to the basket again and again, building a two-point advantage heading into the half. The Hoosiers' game plan was evident as they attempted only one three-pointer in the first period and missed that lone attempt.\nBennett said IU's lack of the three-pointers in the first half was not all bad. It was a reflection of IU's attitude of driving hard to the rim and either getting fouled or scoring, she said. Bennett stressed how offense can translate to defense. \n"Our defense has as much to do with shot selection as anything else," Bennett said. "When we take bad shots, our defense tends to be bad."\nDriving to the basket and shooting in the paint also forces almost every offensive player to rebound. As a result, the Golden Gophers recorded 10 more offensive rebounds than the Hoosiers, which they used to win the game. \n"It's a lot easier when you are rebounding well on offense," freshman guard Cyndi Valentin said. "The team has to scramble to find people to guard, plus it gives you opportunities at easy put-back buckets."\nAnother IU player highlighted the importance of foul trouble and what it was going to take to knock off a ranked opponent.\n"Before this game we emphasized getting their players in foul trouble," said senior guard/forward Jill Hartman, who drilled two three-pointers in the second half. "That was our main point coming into this game. We needed to do that and we did. We were intense also. Our intensity was great."\nAlong with strong play in the paint, comes rebounding and defense. Hartman said she feels confident about IU's defense and thinks it will just be a matter of time before the Hoosiers earn a long-sought after victory.\n"We also felt good about our defense," Hartman said. "If we keep at it, we feel our defense is going to get us a win or two sometime soon. We have to keep fighting"