Hoosiers set for rematch with rival Boilermakers

When the IU women's basketball team (14-10, 8-5 Big Ten) arrives in West Lafayette for Sunday's matchup with No. 10 Purdue, it will be looking for more than just an ordinary conference win. As the two rivals face off, bragging rights in the state of Indiana will be on the table. \nOn Jan. 5, the Boilermakers escaped Assembly Hall with a narrow overtime victory. After losing a rivalry game on their home court, the Hoosiers are ready to return the favor.\nSophomore guard Nikki Smith looks forward to healing the wounds caused by the early season loss.\n"That is one of the losses that hurts us the most because we were so close to getting the win," Smith said. "It was our third game in the Big Ten. We were still getting used to our team and figuring out our identity. We have a lot better team chemistry now."\nAlthough IU coach Sharon Versyp is in her first year at the helm of the IU program, she is no stranger to this rivalry. As a four-year starter at Purdue, Versyp is quite familiar with the way players come into this game. \n"There's obviously a little extra hype for an in-state rivalry game," she said. "The players are a little more fired up and excited than they are when they play anybody else."\nWhile Versyp can easily identify with the players' mentality, she knows that it is her job as a coach to keep the team focused.\n"I'm sure the mindset (of the players) is a little different than usual," she said. "That's pretty natural. But, I don't think we approach it any differently. We're not preparing any differently."\nAs they go on the road to take on the top team in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers know a win will not be easy. Versyp expects the game to draw a crowd of more than 10,000 fans, one of the biggest IU will have experienced so far. But the Hoosiers will have one thing on their side -- revenge. Versyp said she would love to return to her alma mater and silence the Purdue faithful. \nSenior guard Cyndi Valentin knows the team faces a difficult task, but she believes the Hoosiers are capable of pulling off the upset.\n"It's going to take a great team effort," she said. "Everyone needs to be ready. All 13 of us need to be ready and come to play. It's going be a battle, because they play really well at home. But I think we'll be ready if we all step up and execute." \nThroughout the season Valentin has led by example, stepping up and executing in every game. For her efforts, she was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week after putting up 22 points in games against Penn State on Feb. 9 and Northwestern on Feb. 12.\n"It's a great honor, especially since we have such a great conference," she said. "I just do whatever I can to help my teammates. I couldn't do the things I do without my teammates setting me up so well"