IU falls prey to Wildcats in 50-46 loss

After the IU women's basketball team defeated Wisconsin on Sunday in Madison, Wis., it earned its first road conference victory of the season, but the Hoosiers could not duplicate that feat Thursday night. In a low-scoring, close contest, IU lost to the Northwestern Wildcats 50-46 on Thursday in Evanston, Ill. It snapped the Hoosiers brief two-game winning streak, which began against Iowa Feb. 13. \nIU coach Kathi Bennett was critical of her team's play. \n"We have no consistency," she said in a statement. "We can have someone show up one game, and not show up for the next."\nIU shot a dismal 25.9 percent from the field for the game, failing to connect on some key shots in the second half. \nThe bright spot was senior forward Lisa Eckart who finished with 19 points, 14 of which came in the first stanza. Fellow senior guard Kristen Bodine added 10 points, recording her second double-figure scoring game in the last three games.\nIn addition to struggling from the field, IU struggled from the free throw line, shooting 50.8 percent (10-17) for the contest from the charity stripe. \nNorthwestern was paced by only one player in double-figures.\nTo begin the second half, both teams struggled to put the ball through the basket. IU struggled from the field and could not seem to find the touch from the outside.\nThe first field goal of the second period for either team came at the 14:30 mark of the half. \nEckart drained a three to give IU a 38-36 lead with approximately six minutes remaining. But Northwestern answered with a basket 20 seconds later to tie the contest at 38.\nMinutes later, the Wildcats had built a seven point lead when they hit a three to build a 10 point advantage. IU responded as Eckart netted a three to bring IU within seven with about three minutes left. \nIU got a steal, and Bodine made a quick lay-up to pull the Hoosiers within five. \nAfter two free throws by Bodine, IU crawled to within three with 1:15 left.\nBut Northwestern used the whole shot clock and despite missing a shot, left IU with hardly any time left. \nThe Hoosiers trailed by three with 27 seconds remaining when they grabbed a rebound after Northwestern missed the front end of a one and one. But it was too late as IU missed a three attempt and failed to score for the rest of the game.\nIU returns home on Sunday to host the Michigan Wolverines at 2 p.m. in Assembly Hall. It will mark IU's penultimate home game of the season. \nMichigan dropped a 75-61 decision at No. 12 Penn State on Thursday. The Wolverines have lost eight consecutive games, while IU has a 2-6 record in that same span.\nIU is led by Eckart, who has notched eleven double-figure scoring games this season. Prior to the Northwestern loss, her last time scoring in double-figures was on Jan. 26. \nMichigan counters with senior forward LeeAnn Bies, who tallied 19 points against IU a month ago. Both Bies and sophomore guard/forward Tabitha Pool rank in the top thirty of the conference in scoring. In addition, junior center Jennifer Smith has come on as of late for Michigan as well. She poured in 27 points in a loss against Michigan State Feb. 16.\nA strength for IU this year unquestionably has been its defense. The Hoosiers remain atop the conference in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just under 40 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Michigan ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten in that category. \nBut, the Wolverines are a team that has already defeated IU this season. On Jan. 19, Michigan won a close three-point contest in Ann Arbor, Mich. Freshman guard Cyndi Valentin recorded 21 points in that game, including four three-pointers. \nThe Hoosiers will look to rebound against the Wolverines and to sustain their momentum heading into the Big Ten Tournament, which begins March 6. \nAfter the IU women's basketball team defeated Wisconsin on Sunday in Madison, Wis., it earned its first road conference victory of the season, but the Hoosiers could not duplicate that feat Thursday night. In a low-scoring, close contest, IU lost to the Northwestern Wildcats 50-46 on Thursday in Evanston, Ill. It snapped the Hoosiers brief two-game winning streak, which began against Iowa Feb. 13. \nIU coach Kathi Bennett was critical of her team's play. \n"We have no consistency," she said in a statement. "We can have someone show up one game, and not show up for the next."\nIU shot a dismal 25.9 percent from the field for the game, failing to connect on some key shots in the second half. \nThe bright spot was senior forward Lisa Eckart who finished with 19 points, 14 of which came in the first stanza. Fellow senior guard Kristen Bodine added 10 points, recording her second double-figure scoring game in the last three games.\nIn addition to struggling from the field, IU struggled from the free throw line, shooting 50.8 percent (10-17) for the contest from the charity stripe. \nNorthwestern was paced by only one player in double-figures.\nTo begin the second half, both teams struggled to put the ball through the basket. IU struggled from the field and could not seem to find the touch from the outside.\nThe first field goal of the second period for either team came at the 14:30 mark of the half. \nEckart drained a three to give IU a 38-36 lead with approximately six minutes remaining. But Northwestern answered with a basket 20 seconds later to tie the contest at 38.\nMinutes later, the Wildcats had built a seven point lead when they hit a three to build a 10 point advantage. IU responded as Eckart netted a three to bring IU within seven with about three minutes left. \nIU got a steal, and Bodine made a quick lay-up to pull the Hoosiers within five. \nAfter two free throws by Bodine, IU crawled to within three with 1:15 left.\nBut Northwestern used the whole shot clock and despite missing a shot, left IU with hardly any time left. \nThe Hoosiers trailed by three with 27 seconds remaining when they grabbed a rebound after Northwestern missed the front end of a one and one. But it was too late as IU missed a three attempt and failed to score for the rest of the game.\nIU returns home on Sunday to host the Michigan Wolverines at 2 p.m. in Assembly Hall. It will mark IU's penultimate home game of the season. \nMichigan dropped a 75-61 decision at No. 12 Penn State on Thursday. The Wolverines have lost eight consecutive games, while IU has a 2-6 record in that same span.\nIU is led by Eckart, who has notched eleven double-figure scoring games this season. Prior to the Northwestern loss, her last time scoring in double-figures was on Jan. 26. \nMichigan counters with senior forward LeeAnn Bies, who tallied 19 points against IU a month ago. Both Bies and sophomore guard/forward Tabitha Pool rank in the top thirty of the conference in scoring. In addition, junior center Jennifer Smith has come on as of late for Michigan as well. She poured in 27 points in a loss against Michigan State Feb. 16.\nA strength for IU this year unquestionably has been its defense. The Hoosiers remain atop the conference in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just under 40 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Michigan ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten in that category. \nBut, the Wolverines are a team that has already defeated IU this season. On Jan. 19, Michigan won a close three-point contest in Ann Arbor, Mich. Freshman guard Cyndi Valentin recorded 21 points in that game, including four three-pointers. \nThe Hoosiers will look to rebound against the Wolverines and to sustain their momentum heading into the Big Ten Tournament, which begins March 6.