Senior plays tough, stands out in loss

Coach Kathi Bennett had been looking for someone on her team to step up this season. No one was really showing leadership or showing that they would give it their all an entire game. Despite a 75-64 loss to the Michigan Wolverines (12-13, 3-11 Big Ten) on Sunday, there was finally a notable senior that helped the Hoosiers (11-13, 4-10) at least not give Michigan an easy win. Bennett found that leader in senior forward Lisa Eckart. \n"I've noticed it in the last few games," Bennett said. "She's a key player on our team."\nHolding over half of the team's first half points, Eckart contributed 14 points in the first half and one assist. Twelve of her first half points were three-point baskets. \nBut Eckart wasn't finished after the first half. She scored one field goal and three free throws in the second half giving her 22 total points in the ballgame and four assists.\nIt was Eckart's three-point basket that helped the Hoosiers come within four points of the Wolverines 62-58 with just 2:03 left in the game. While a major basket for the Hoosiers at the time, they never came any closer to Michigan for the remainder of the game.\nFreshman guard Cyndi Valentin said the seniors, like Eckart, on the team are huge when it comes to leadership on and off the court.\n"They really get us into the game," Valentin said. "They help us on offense, and more than anything they are scorers and leaders for all of us."\nEckart said the loss to Michigan was character-building in that the team still realizes they have to come together to get some wins. She said she'd like to see five players all playing hard at the same time.\n"I do anything I can to help this team while I'm out there," Eckart said. "I want to make a difference with this team even if it's not a change this year but in the future."\nAnother notable game for Eckart was against Ball State on Nov. 23, 2002. She recorded 24 points and four rebounds. She also had back-to-back double-doubles against Purdue and South Florida earlier this season. \nBack in January when the Hoosiers lost in Michigan, Eckart had 11 points and eight rebounds. \nBennett said she's been pleased with Eckart's play lately, and that against Michigan it was obvious that she played as hard as possible the entire game.\n"She's barely 5'11" and was against such big size," Bennett said. "I feel like she's playing for every possession, and we need more people to do that on this team."\nEckart was on the floor with a couple of six-footers from Michigan but was still able to defend well. Michigan junior center Jennifer Smith was the top scorer in the game with 25, only three points more than Eckart had.\nEven when the team was down, Eckart was there to help lead the team.\n"I am so thankful for how hard she plays," Bennett said. "Sometimes I think she's the only one out there that really plays from start to finish."\nWith only two regular season conference games left, Eckart is concerned with where the team is headed. She said she isn't ready for the season to be over.\n"I'll do anything in my power to help this team win the rest of the season," Eckart said. "I love to play, and I don't want it to be over any time soon"