Hoosiers face Florida State in 2009 Big Ten/ACC Challenge

The Hoosiers hope to finish the school’s involvement with the Big Ten/Atlantic Coast Conference challenge with a win when they take on ranked Florida State at 6:30 p.m. today.  

The Florida State Seminoles are undefeated at 6-0 and are No. 9 in the most recent coaches poll and No. 12 in the AP poll. The Hoosiers are 1-3 all-time against Florida State, and 0-1 against the Seminoles in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.  

However, the Hoosiers don’t plan on succumbing to the Seminoles.  

“Every team can be beatable,” junior guard Jori Davis said. “It’s kind of like football sometimes. They are very athletic, and if we don’t do the fundamental things they’ll sneak away. But if we stay solid, rebound and play solid defense, obviously it’ll be a good game.”  

Davis has played a large role on the team, particularly during the team’s recent play in the Junkanoo Jam. During the tournament, Davis earned all-tournament honors and put up big numbers with 54 points, 15 rebounds and eight steals.

Davis said scoring was not an issue for the team, and stated that the Hoosiers are stacked with players who could step up at any time and be the leading scorer.

Instead, the team focused on a facet of basketball they have not excelled at during the past few games but is something Florida State does very well – rebounding.  

“They are a team that rebounds really well, and obviously that’s something we’ve been getting killed on,” senior guard Jamie Braun said. “But Coach Jack has been preaching it and working really hard with us in practices getting us ready for that.”

IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack also said she felt that rebounding was a key part to handing the Seminoles its first loss.  

“They have some big strong players and some very talented guards,” Legette-Jack said. “It’s going to be a very tough match, but I think that if we just play our defense, really focus on boxing out and take the open shots, I think we’ll have a chance.”  

The Hoosiers’ hard work on both defense and rebounding will prove to be a motivating factor in the game, but a few girls on the team have other reasons to be excited for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.  

One of those reasons is obvious, as the team doesn’t get a chance to play a top-10 opponent every week, but Braun said playing at home in such a big game is another motivating factor for the team.  

The Hoosiers also have three players from Florida, including sophomore forward Sasha Chaplin. Chaplin, who is from St. Petersburg, Fla., played with Florida State guard Alexa Deluzio.

Chaplin and Deluzio played on the same AAU team, the Orlando Comets, for about three years. The two helped lead the Comets to the 2006 AAU 16-and-under National Championship.  

Chaplin said playing against past teammates does not motivate her as much as playing the Seminoles as a program.  

“Anybody from Florida, playing against them, kind of brings back, ‘oh well you know if you didn’t recruit me, I feel bad for you, so I’m going to show you what you’re missing out,’” Chaplin said. “Playing FSU is a big rivalry in my heart.”