Hoosiers prepare for VCU weapons

The IU women's basketball team is looking to get back on the right track after dropping both games in the Paradise Jam Tournament, falling to 2-2 on the year. This weekend's road trip brings the Hoosiers to Richmond, Va., to battle the Virginia Commonwealth Rams Friday and concludes with a stop in the nation's capital to face the Georgetown Hoyas Sunday. \nFresh off its first loss of the season, Virginia Commonwealth seeks to derail IU's attempt to get back on track. VCU essentially has only one offensive weapon in senior guard Cyndy Wilks, who is coming into the contest with a 24.0 points per game average and has hit 5-of-13 from behind the three-point line. To put Wilks' performance in perspective, her point total equates the offensive output of her next five leading scorers on the Rams roster. \nThe Rams' coach, Beth Cunningham, has ties here in Bloomington, as she is the daughter of IU baseball coach Bob Morgan and is the all-time leading scorer for Bloomington South High School. Cunningham is in her first season at the helm of the VCU Rams and has guided the program to a 2-2 start.\nThe Hoosiers will face a tough opponent Sunday in the Georgetown Hoyas, who are coming into the game with a 4-0 record.\nGeorgetown senior forward Rebekkah Brunson is the biggest threat to IU as she has been named the Big East Co-Player of the Week for the second week in a row. \nBrunson is coming into the weekend averaging 18.3 points and 15.0 rebounds per game. Brunson's game is flanked by junior guard Mary Lisicky, who has put up impressive numbers of her own with a 11.8 points per game average, hitting 11 of 28 from behind the arc. \nWhile the Hoosiers will face some impressive players, IU has a few weapons of their own in junior guard Jenny DeMuth and sophomore guard Cyndi Valentin. \nPrior to the season, IU coach Kathi Bennett cited DeMuth as someone the team could count on.\n"(DeMuth) has skill in every area." Bennett said. "She can shoot the three. She can score off the dribble. She defends, and she's a good rebounder. Jenny is someone who can bring excitement into the game."\nDeMuth has certainly delivered the goods this season, leading the team in scoring and averaging 19.3 points per game, field goal percentage and steals. DeMuth's has nearly half of IU's 29 total steals with 12. Standing at only 5-foot-10 inches, DeMuth is also second on the team in rebounds, collecting 6.5 rebounds per game.\nDeMuth's impressive numbers have not gone unnoticed as she was an all-tournament selection at the Virgin Island Paradise Jam, the Indiana Classic MVP and was the first IU Big Ten Player of the Week since Jill Chapman in December of 2002. After she received the distinction, DeMuth showed an air of humility.\n"This is a great honor to have, especially in a conference where there are so many great players," DeMuth said. "What makes it even better is how well we played as a team."\nValentin has been DeMuth's right-hand woman since last season, averaging 15.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Valentin is also deadly from behind the arc, hitting six of 18 from the three-point line.\nAt 20 years old, DeMuth is one of the oldest on the IU roster. On a squad with 12 active players, 10 are freshmen and sophomores and have the fourth youngest average age in the country. However, the Hoosiers look at their youth as an asset.\n"With experience, we're going to keep building, and we're going to make strides this year," freshman guard Leah Enterline said. "I definitely think we have a lot of depth to the team, and that's going to help as the season progresses."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.