Women's three-point shooting display entertains crowd of 13,000 fans

As the clock began to tick off the final seconds until midnight, a new season with new optimism awaited the Hoosier women's and men's basketball teams. \nThat optimism quickly wavered less than two hours into the new season, as senior guard Jenny DeMuth, first team all media pre-season Big Ten, cried in pain while she was helped off the court with a left knee injury. DeMuth had a MRI test done Saturday, with results expected late Sunday evening.\nThough the team suffered a blow early Saturday morning, that didn't prevent them from enjoying the festivities during Midnight Madness in front of 13,000 fans, including IU President Adam Herbert, new Athletics Director Rick Greenspan and Rupert Boneham from the hit television show "Survivor."\nAfter the slam dunk competition, which concluded with men's sophomore Pat Ewing Jr.'s winning for the second straight year, the spot shot contest began.\nOn the court there were different areas ranging in points from one to five.\nThe contest involved a player from both the men's and women's teams and a contestant from the crowd.\nIn the end, a pair of sophomores, Roderick Wilmont and Sarah McKay, came away victorious in the finals.\nTo come away with the championship without a strategy was a great feeling, McKay said.\n"It was fun getting to play with a regular person. We were lucky and got a good person," she said. "(Wilmont's) a good person, we worked together and pulled it off."\nUp next was the three-point shooting contest. Junior Cyndi Valentin was aiming to take home her third overall three-point contest championship.\nAnd she did. Valentin won the women's championship, despite having to shoot an extra rack because of a tie-breaker between her fellow teammate, senior LeeAnn Stephenson, during the opening round.\nEventually knocking off Stephenson five to two and advancing to the women's championship, Valentin defeated sharp shooting freshman Nikki Smith to take on senior Ryan Tapak of the men's team in the overall championship.\nUnlike the previous time when they met, Valentin couldn't hold off Tapak at the end. He won 13-10 to capture the title.\n"It felt good (to win the women's championship), it would have been nice to win the overall, but Tapak is a good shooter," she said. "(Being tired had no effect) as the shots were getting better at the end for me."\nHaving the opportunity to practice in front of the large crowd was a great opportunity for the team, Bennett said.\n"(The team) was really excited for this," Bennett said. "It was an amazing environment, and it shows the love fans have for Indiana basketball."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.