Trio of junior players hold up offense

Even with losses in the last eight games — all to Big Ten conference foes — the IU women’s basketball team has seen consistent scoring support from three juniors.

The trio of forwards Sasha Chaplin and Aulani Sinclair and guard Jasmine McGhee have averaged almost 60 percent of the Hoosiers’ points during the last eight games.
IU Coach Felisha Legette-Jack said having three players share the scoring attack depends on how regularly they can contribute.

“We have got to have them consistently,” Legette-Jack said.

And even with her trio scoring threat, Legette-Jack has yet to see it lead to a conference “W”, and she said it’s going to take better defense to get over the hump and secure wins in conference play this season.

“You can’t give up as many points as we have been,” Legette-Jack said. “With better defense, and if we make our free throws and get some layups, the game is different, and it changes the whole dynamic. The kids are relaxed, and there’s no sense of urgency.”

On Sunday, the Hoosiers travel to Evanston, Ill., in hopes of securing that win.
Indiana will face Northwestern in the teams’ second battle this season. The Wildcats prevailed in the first matchup this season, a 69-61 win Jan. 8 at Assembly Hall.

The game was the closest IU has come to winning a Big Ten game this season. Poor second-half shooting (8-of-33 from the field) and 20 total turnovers were the only issues that kept IU from grabbing that elusive first conference victory.

Both Sinclair and McGhee shone in the first matchup, scoring 17 and 14 points, respectively, as Sinclair led the team in points and McGhee tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight.

Sinclair said she, along with her teammates, will listen to their coach and fill in whatever role they can to take down the Wildcats, who are 12-9 on the season and only 2-6 in Big Ten action.

“I’m just trying to do whatever we need for us as a team to win,” Sinclair said. “If that means scoring, I’ll score, and if that means rebounding, I’ll rebound. I’m just here to do whatever Coach tells me to do.”

The Hoosiers and the Wildcats will tip off at 3 p.m. Sunday, and the game will air on BTN.com.