Women's basketball hosts 1st round of preseason WNIT Friday

Last year’s 86-81 overtime loss to James Madison ended the IU women’s basketball season in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

On Friday night, the Hoosiers open the regular season almost the way they ended the last – on their home court playing in the preseason WNIT – against Ball State with high expectations for this season.

Even though Big Ten coaches predict IU will finish eighth in the conference this year, senior forward Amber Jackson isn’t convinced.

“Our expectations are high,” Jackson said. “We expect nothing less than the NCAA Tournament.”

Sophomore guard Whitney Lindsay also said the team is looking to do much better than eighth – perhaps as high as third – and added she is excited about their first game.

“I think it’s especially exciting because it’s one of our in-state rivals and Ball State is one of our biggest rivals all year, so I think that makes it even more exciting,” she said.

Last year, the Hoosiers traveled to Muncie, where they stumbled early and dug themselves a 33-17 hole before prevailing by a final score of 76-71.

IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said last year’s game doesn’t really matter, and without much film to study on the Cardinals, the Hoosiers are focused on playing their own game.

“Our goal is to play our game,” she said. “Push when we can, set up when we have to and play the matchups the best we know how, box out and run.”

Legette-Jack said the Cardinals, who are predicted to finish first in the Mid-American Conference West, have a seasoned team with both an inside and outside presence.

The Hoosiers have been victorious in their last 18 meetings against Ball State and hold the overall series advantage 26-3. The Cardinals’ last win against IU came on March 3, 1978.  

IU senior forward Whitney Thomas will start her final season for the Hoosiers. Thomas is an All-America candidate but was left off the preseason Big Ten list, something her coach is not happy about.

Thomas and fellow senior guard Lydia Serfling will be reunited with a former teammate of theirs who now plays for Ball State. 

Thomas, Serfling and Cardinal guard senior Kiley Jarrett all attended Bloomington High School North and will now reunite at 7 p.m. Friday.

If the Hoosiers beat Ball State, they will advance to the next round and take on the winner of the Xavier-Robert Morris game at 2 p.m. Sunday in Assembly Hall. Should the Hoosiers lose, they will host consolation games Nov. 21 and 22 with game times to be announced.

As the Hoosiers embark on what could be a special season, they start in the preseason WNIT but expect to finish among the nation’s elite teams.

 “Yes, we are in the preseason WNIT,” Jackson said. “But we expect to be in the big dance by the end of the year.”