Hoosiers look to move win streak to 6

Last season, playing on the road plagued the IU women’s basketball team, which only won five games. This year, the Hoosiers have already won four road games in a row and are looking to extend their total winning streak to six games.

The Hoosiers compete against West Virginia at 2 p.m. Saturday in Morgantown, W. Va. After posting a 25-8 record last year and an NCAA Tournament berth, the Mountaineers came in 7-1.

Sophomore Andrea McGuirt said the key to the five-game winning streak is the team’s unity.

“Our main thing that Coach always tells us is to have good team synergy,” she said. “We are all on the same page together. We are all fighting as a team. I think we are all just playing outside ourselves and playing for the team.”

Along with teamwork, senior forward Whitney Thomas said the team’s defensive focus is another factor.

“I think we are making sure we do all the stuff we need to on defense, so that our offense will come to us,” Thomas said. “We really just picked it up a lot on defense and holding teams down in numbers. That’s what we’ve been focusing on.”

Saturday’s game will be a rematch of last year’s, when the Hoosiers defeated the then-No. 13 Mountaineers 79-66 at Assembly Hall. Despite last season’s upset, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the team’s four seniors add veteran leadership that was previously lacking. 

“This is a different group of kids, a different mindset,” Legette-Jack said. “We have such leadership now with our four seniors. Last year Whitney had to stand alone for the most part. This year Amber is doing a great job, Kim is doing a fantastic job, Lydia is really coming to their aid and Whitney is still her solid self.”

The Mountaineers bring in two guards that both average double figures. Sophomore guard Liz Repella comes in averaging 15.4 points a game and with a 21-point, 12-rebound against Duquense. Her teammate, senior Takisha Granberry, adds 14.3 points a game.

Legette-Jack knows West Virginia’s backcourt is talented.

“They’re good,” she said. “They can shoot the ball. Liz can shoot the 3 like no other. She’s shooting 30 percent right now, but if we leave her open, she’ll hit it. The Granberry’s kid, she had eight 3’s (in a game). If we don’t defend the 3-point line, we’ll be in trouble.”

Despite the talented duo, Legette-Jack said she trusts the Hoosiers’ game plan.

“We are going to come out and do what we do, and if we hold people under 59,” she said, “then we’ll have a shot.”