Hoosiers welcome Brescia for 2nd exhibition game against Brescia

With its game against reigning national champion Baylor University looming on the horizon, the IU women's basketball team will play its second exhibition game Saturday against Brescia University.\nThe Hoosiers are coming off a close 70-63 victory in their first exhibition game of the season versus the Hoosier Lady Stars last Nov. 3. Freshman forward Whitney Thomas led the team with 15 points and 11 rebounds in the win. \nSenior guard Cyndi Valentin and junior guard Annika Boyd also chipped in with double-digit scoring efforts of their own with 14 and 12 points, respectively.\nIn her first game as coach of the Hoosiers, Sharon Versyp was pleased with how her team performed.\n"We did some good things but other things not so well," Versyp said. "I was pleased with our free throw attempts and our offensive rebounding, which had been one of our weaknesses."\nIU attempted 34 free throws, making 24, and pulled down 16 offensive rebounds compared to nine for the Lady Stars.\nWith its first victory behind it, IU has been preparing for Brescia, an independent team in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. \nThe Bearcats struggled last season, compiling an 8-23 overall record. This year's team also lost three of its top five scorers from last season.\nWith the weekend's game being the last chance to warm up before the regular season begins, IU has gone back to the basics.\n"We're just trying to get better and keep improving," freshman forward Kimberly Roberson said. "We're working on improving all the facets of our game."\nWhile Versyp was happy with her team's performance last week, she knows there is room for improvement.\n"We need to limit turnovers and make better decisions," she said. "We have to be solid on defense and continue to be a threat on offense. That is something that is going to take some time."\nAgainst the Lady Stars, the Hoosiers committed 21 turnovers while shooting 20-54 from the field.\nThe Hoosiers said they aren't looking past the Bearcats to next weekend's regular season opener against Baylor in Assembly Hall. Last season, IU lost to the Lady Bears at Baylor in their season opener, 60-47.\nThe Hoosiers realize they have to remain focused if they want to win Saturday's contest with Brescia.\n"You can't look past tomorrow," senior guard Kali Kullberg said. "Every day is its own challenge. We're preparing for this weekend. At the same time, we can gear toward what we might have to prepare for next weekend versus Baylor."\nTip-off will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall.