IU gets another character test with top-ranked OSU

Following its nail-biter win against Michigan at Assembly Hall on Thursday, the IU women’s basketball team passed a test of its character, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said.

That character is in for another, much heavier test in two days.

The Hoosiers turn around for arguably their toughest test of the season thus far when they travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on No. 5 Ohio State at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Legette-Jack said that while IU is well aware of what’s ahead, it’s what the Hoosiers expect in each conference road game.

“They’re all big,” she said. “Our challenge is we want to be road warriors. We want to be able to challenge on the road.”

The Buckeyes (18-1, 6-0) enjoy a comfortable lead in the Big Ten and lead the conference in scoring offense, scoring margin, field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, rebounding margin, assists, turnover margin and assist-to-turnover ratio.
Ohio State also boasts conference and national leaders in individual categories.

Center Jantel Lavender averages 22.0 points-per-game, leading all Big Ten players and currently sitting ninth in the nation. Guard Brittany Johnson has been among the country’s elite from behind the arc, ranking fifth in Division I with a 50.7 3-point field goal percentage.

Another key to the Buckeyes’ success has been the efficient ball distribution from guard Samantha Prahalis, who stands second nationally with 8.1 assists per game.
However, that wasn’t enough to sway Legette-Jack from her confidence in her team.

“We understand how great Ohio State is, but you know what? Michigan took them to a 3-point loss at their place,” she said.

While the order appears tall, IU could enter the Jerome Schottenstein Center on a high following Thursday’s dramatic victory over the Wolverines.

The Hoosiers enjoyed leads of as many as 11 points in the second half before allowing Michigan to come back late.

IU led 62-60 with one second remaining and left an open lane for the Wolverines to force overtime with a layup, but the attempt missed, and the Hoosiers left victorious.
Junior forward Hope Elam enjoyed arguably the best game of her young career at IU, leading the team with 24 points and pulling down a season-high 10 rebounds.

“I definitely knew with the absence of Sasha Chaplin ... that we had to step up our rebounding because she was our leading rebounder,” Elam said. “So I knew tonight that was what I had to do.”

Rebounds will be at a premium against the Buckeyes, who haven’t allowed their opponents much success off the boards.

Coming off a hard-fought victory, however, the Hoosiers embrace the challenge of facing one of the nation’s best.

“We respect all, but we fear none,” Legette-Jack said. “And it’s not about Ohio State; it’s about Indiana and what we’re trying to do as a team. We’re trying to get better every single day in practice, and that leads us to Ohio State. Bring it on.”