No sophomore slump for Valentin

With only two active players on the latter half of their college careers, IU coach Kathi Bennett has a corral full of young guns to holster. One sharp shooter Bennett won't have to worry about is sophomore Cyndi Valentin.\nValentin, at a mere 19 years old, is actually one of the most battle-tested Hoosiers, logging impressive minutes in all 28 of IU's games. However, minutes aren't the only statistic Valentin feasted upon last season.\nValentin scored a total of 290 points, the largest point total for an IU freshman, en route to a 10.4 point per game average. Only junior Jenny DeMuth and former IU standout Lisa Eckhart had higher scoring averages last season. \nValentin's scoring average also placed her in second place all-time for freshmen scoring averages behind Linda Cunningham's 11.2 ppg in 1983, one year before Valentin was born. Valentin managed such impressive numbers while only starting in 17 of 28 games.\nValentin was also lethal from the free throw line, hitting 86.9 percent of her shots from the charity stripe, placing her amongst the nation's best in that category. On the way to this impressive statistic, Valentin set a record for IU freshmen by hitting 25 consecutive free throws over a span of 13 games. \nValentin's statistics earned her a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team, making her only the third Hoosier in the women's basketball program's history to qualify for the distinction. \nDespite such a remarkable performance during her freshman season, Valentin saw aspects of her game that needed improvement.\n"Offensively I worked on being more consistent. Last year, it was up and down," Valentin said. "I also worked on ball handling and being able to shoot off of the dribble."\nHer coaches were impressed with her freshman campaign, but also felt that Valentin had some aspects of her game that needed some polish.\n"Cyndi showed last year that she can shoot the three point shot consistently and get to the rim," associate head coach Trish Betthauser said. "What we asked of her was to work on shooting off the screen and work on her defensive game."\nSophomore slumps are notorious in the game of basketball, with numerous athletes turning in lackluster performances after tremendous freshman campaigns. As for Valentin, don't count on it.\n"I've heard of that, but I'm not worried about it," Valentin said. "I'm just going to play my game."\nIf IU's two preseason games are any indication, she won't have to worry about a slump, no matter how notorious. In the Nov. 9 game against Athletes in Action, Valentin logged 17 points, four rebounds and one steal. In IU's second game against the Reebok Lady Stars, she led the Hoosiers in scoring with 21 points, added five rebounds, two steals and she had one block for good measure.\nCyndi also brings another asset to the Hoosier table, a tremendous ability to shoot the three. Valentin is the two-time reigning Midnight Madness three-point competition champion. \n"Cyndi has tremendous offensive ability. She can score in a variety of ways," Bennett said. "She can shoot the three and she can finish in traffic. She is a very exciting offensive player."\nPrior to her tenure at IU, Valentin had a phenomenal high school career at Bloomington South High School where she was a McDonald's All-American nominee. Despite her slight 5'8" frame, Valentin led Bloomington South in rebounds during her senior season.\nPlaying in her hometown proved to be a blessing for the sophomore as she is able to see her family on a regular basis.\n"I enjoy (playing at IU) a lot," Valentin said. "It was a great opportunity to come here and play in my hometown. I love it."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.