Chaplin’s free throws leads IU to victory

Junior center Sasha Chaplin hit two free throws with four seconds remaining to help the Hoosiers earn their third season victory Dec. 11.

Chaplin aided IU’s (3-6) 65-64 victory against IUPUI (4-6).

The St. Petersburg, Fla., native scored the Hoosiers’ final four points, as she went 4-4 from the charity stripe.

“It’s fun that we are having each others’ backs,” IU Coach Felisha Legette-Jack said.
The win ends the Hoosiers’ five-game losing streak.

This wasn’t the first time Chaplin showed what her coach calls “ice in her veins.”
Chaplin also knocked down two free throws in the close Murray State win in the final seconds.

Chaplin’s free throws were crucial to the win against IUPUI, but 42 percent of the offense came from junior guard Jasmine McGhee.

“I’ve been challenging Jaz, and she handled it,” Legette-Jack said. “Jaz is one of the special players in our conference, and she has to play at that level on a consistent basis. Today was a breakthrough day.”

McGhee recorded 27 points, shooting 9 of 15 from the field and 8 of 11 on the free throw line. She collected 15 rebounds, earning her second double-double this year. The Vincennes University transfer had a career-high afternoon in points and rebounds.

Freshman guard Candyce Ussery also helped on the rebounding end, grabbing a
career-high eight boards.

The Hoosiers shot 40.7 percent from the field and outscored IUPUI 18-9 in second-chance points. IUPUI responded in the second half due to the play of junior forward Kerah Nelson and sophomore guard Dawn Luster.

Nelson had 25 points and five rebounds, and Luster recorded 15 points and four rebounds.
The women’s team, who was in attendance for the IU men’s basketball team’s defeat of No. 1 Kentucky, said the passion helped them on their game day.

“It’s a family here,” Legette-Jack said. “We are trying to create something special. The way our men are playing is really going to feed off with them.”

IU has an extended break during this week, when the student athletes will be taking their finals.

IU will take on Northern Illinois on Dec. 17 at Assembly Hall.  They hope the confidence from the IUPUI win will last until the their next competition.

“It was about this team for the entire 40 minutes. Everybody did the best they could,” Legette-Jack said.