Women's basketball highlights from media day

McCurty an x-factor in front court

A lot has been said about the upperclass leadership on the IU women’s basketball team, particularly from senior forward Aulani Sinclair and senior guard Jasmine McGhee.

IU Coach Curt Miller referred to Sinclair and McGhee as “proven Big Ten scorers” and said the team will rely heavily on them to carry the scoring load. But to “shock and surprise” some teams, Miller said sophomore center Quaneisha McCurty must have a breakout year.

 “We love to give the green light for post players to shoot threes, and that's where she likes to be,” Miller said. "We've got to get her a little tougher and get her in the paint. I think she's allergic to the paint, but we'll get her a little better here in the future. She’s our x-factor.”

At 6-foot-6, McCurty is the team’s tallest player and joins Chaplin, junior center Simone Deloach and senior forward Linda Rubene in the primary frontcourt rotation.

“We have a lot of post bodies and post depth so we’re gonna keep running people at you in the post and try to wear people down and try to keep fresh bodies out there,” Miller said.


Grandmotherly love

During Miller’s podium time, he revealed that fifth-year senior Sasha Chaplin is affectionately referred to as ‘grandma’ by her teammates.

Chaplin will turn 23 next week and has battled injuries during her time in Bloomington.

But both Sinclair and McGhee appreciate “grandma” and the experience the returning starting center brings to the team.

“She’s a great role model for all the newcomers,” McGhee said. “She plays a role where she’s probably the overseer of the whole team because she’s been here for a while. Having her on the team helps us come together more as a team.”

While still a high school senior being recruited to play for IU, Sinclair remembers watching Chaplin play. She said she appreciates Chaplin’s ability to help lead the team also.

“Just her knowledge of the game of being here and knowing IU so well,” Sinclair said. “I think she knows where every single classroom is at on campus.”


Miller tries to awaken ‘sleeping giant’

Miller has said before that Indiana was his dream job. But at Big Ten Media Day, he further clarified why.

“I've always looked at Indiana as a sleeping giant in the world of women's basketball,” he said. “There's more tradition at Indiana than its given credit for in women's basketball.”

McGhee thinks that Miller is the one who will wake up the giant and bring it to national prominence.

“I think there will be a possibility that the sleeping giant will awaken,” she said. “He’s brought positivity. He’s brought chemistry. He’s brought his amazing personality. I think that all three of those together creates a new system, a new hope, this fresh feel that the sleeping giant will awake some day and soon.”