Team boasts abundance of experience

Coming off a season where the Hoosiers women's basketball team finished 12-17 and had everyone returning, expectations were high -- then an injury occurred. Senior guard/forward Jenny DeMuth tore her anterior cruciate ligament within two hours of the season starting. How the team responds from the injury will be a test IU must pass in order to make it to the NCAA tournament.\nDeMuth's running mate last year, junior guard Cyndi Valentin, will be one player IU coach Kathi Bennett will be calling upon to make up for the lost contribution. Valentin, honorable mention All-Big Ten last season, averaged 15.5 points per game while grabbing 95 rebounds and 37 assists last season.\nWith expanded roles for her and her teammates, there shouldn't be a problem with players rising to the challenge, Valentin said.\n"Everyone is competitive and wants to go out and win, things haven't changed," said Valentin, a Bloomington native. "I will do whatever I can, I have full confidence in our team that they can step up and help the whole team out."\nStepping up in the low post will be just as important as the wings, as DeMuth racked up almost eight rebounds a game last season.\nLed by 6-foot-7-inch center Sarah McKay, the Hoosiers will attempt to fill the void.\nHaving a height advantage over most players is something McKay benefited from, grabbing nearly six rebounds a game and swatting 55 shots last season.\nUsing the extra inches will be fundamental for the team if they hope to reach the NCAA tournament, McKay said.\n"Height is just a blessing of basketball; I want to use it as much as I can." McKay said. "I just like to help the teammates. If they bring a double team, I'm going to be looking for open shooters."\nMcKay won't be alone inside as senior Jamie Gathing comes back to the team after missing last season because of injury. Gathing is in her sixth year of eligibility and will help shore up a front line that boasts seven players over six feet.\nTo help out with scoring duties, junior forward Angela Hawkins is one Hoosier who will be counted on. Hawkins had trouble last season staying out of foul trouble as she fouled out 10 times last season.\nGetting big contributions from the Florida native will be a determining factor in how the team plays, Bennett said.\n"As an inside player she holds one of the biggest keys for us because of her ability to get easy baskets," said Bennett, in her fifth season as head coach. "Her challenge is to become more fundamentally sound. We are looking for a huge season from her offensively and defensively."\nWith an abundance of players from last year's squad returning, there weren't many openings for new players, but Bennett is banking on her two newest additions to make an immediate impact.\nNikki Smith, a guard from Sylvania, Ohio, will be looked upon to provide the team with lethal three point shot. Walk-on guard Kelli Agness from Indianapolis will provide the Hoosiers with another player at the point.\nThough both players are only freshmen, they are meshing with the team as if they're not, McKay said.\n"The freshmen are great, they fit right in with all of us," McKay said. "You can't really come in and think you are freshman; you have to be ready to go."\nIU won't be getting any favors from its schedule, as it starts the season at No. 8 Baylor Nov. 19 -- in addition to games against Maine, Arkansas and Louisville.\nHaving a tough non-conference schedule should acclimate everyone to the competition they'll face in the Big Ten this season, Bennett said.\n"Our non-conference schedule is the toughest since I've been here without a doubt," Bennett said. "I think all of these games will definitely prepare us for our Big Ten season."\nBefore her season ending injury, DeMuth said the goal for this year's Hoosiers was to make the NCAA tournament. \n"I do think we definitely have a chance to get there this year," DeMuth said.\nThough the Hoosiers' chances may have taken a hit with the injury to DeMuth, confidence is still high for achieving priority No. 1 -- getting IU back to the field of 64 for the first time since 2002, McKay said.\n"Everyone is taking the right step," McKay said. "It is going to be harder without our leading scorer, everyone is going to step up and we should be able to accomplish what we decided on at the beginning of the season."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.