Hoosier home opener Sunday

The Hoosiers are ready to come out of their summer hibernation and open up the 2009-10 season this weekend.

The year begins with an exhibition game against the Lambuth Eagles at 2 p.m. Sunday at Assembly Hall.

Lambuth, which is located in Jackson, Tenn., is coming off a 29-6 season and NAIA National Championship appearance.

IU junior captain and guard Jori Davis said because of the Eagles’ success, IU cannot take the competition lightly.

“We don’t take a team for granted,” Davis said. “They have the talent to come out to our home court and beat us.”

IU women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the Hoosiers will use this competition as a measuring stick.   

“We look at it as a game against someone else,” Legette-Jack said. “It will tell us a little more about ourselves as a team.”

IU lost four seniors from last year in Amber Jackson, Kim Roberson, Lydia Serfling and Whitney Thomas.

IU senior guard Jamie Braun, said she thinks the Hoosiers can weather the graduation of the seniors and be a good team if it thinks optimistically and works hard enough.

“We are always going to be positive,” Braun said. “We are going to work our butts off and be one of the best teams in the conference.”

Davis said she knows her role as a team leader will be very important to the Hoosiers’ success.

“I have to let the goals be known about the team and make sure our teammates are there and playing well,” she said.

IU gains the services of junior college transfer Hope Elam, who was an NJCAA First Team All-American after averaging 21.2 points and 11 rebounds per game at
Vincennes University. Other additions to the roster include freshmen Sasha Bernard,
Jasmine Davis and Aulani Sinclair.

Legette-Jack said all in all, if the team gels and doesn’t get too caught up in wins and losses, it will be successful.  

“If we stay a family and stay connected, we will be winning a lot without being too concerned with it,” she said.