Hoosiers seek to limit turnovers against Michigan State

After starting the last four games against Big Ten opponents, including conference-leader Penn State, freshman guard Nicole Bell has learned how to deal with the on-ball pressure a point guard faces each night in the Big Ten.

Tonight, she may face her biggest challenge yet when the Hoosiers travel to East Lansing, Mich., to take on the Michigan State Spartans 7 p.m. in the Breslin Center.

The first time these two teams matched up on Jan. 20, the Spartans forced the Hoosiers into a season-high 25 turnovers to come away with a 56-46 victory at Assembly Hall.

“They’re everywhere,” Bell said of the Spartans. “No matter what you do, they’re always there. Set a screen, they’re going to be right there. They hedge hard.

"They’re a very physical team.”

Since junior guard Andrea Newbauer went down Jan. 28 at Northwestern with a wrist injury, Bell has had to play between 38 and 40 minutes a game. She is the only healthy point guard on the roster.

But the team is gaining confidence in Bell as the games go on despite facing continued defensive pressure.

“Nicole got thrown into the fire and had to play — her first games where she had to play 40 minutes each after Andrea got hurt — she played against some of the best point guards in the league and handled herself really, really well,” IU Assistant Coach Brandi Poole said. “She has done a really nice job taking care of the ball, getting us into our sets.

“We can’t ask for more from her right now. She’s doing a tremendous job.”

Pressure on Bell is just one of the challenges Michigan State presents.

The Spartans currently stand at the top of the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing just 50.6 points per game and are holding teams under 35 percent shooting from the field, also tops in the league.

They also lead the league in rebounding margin, grabbing over eight rebounds per game more than their opponents.

“Michigan State is known for their defense,” Poole said. “They pride themselves on their defense. We’re going to have to make a concerted effort, be determined to set good screens, be really disciplined and execute our stuff against them.”

Despite being eighth in steals in the conference, Michigan State is third in turnover margin, something that Poole said the team cannot allow to be a factor in tonight’s game like it was Jan. 20.

“I think a lot of the turnovers lead to points for them,” she said. “We have to take care of the basketball. We have to be crisper in our offense and take away some of the turnovers that they don’t force, that we just create ourselves. And just be stronger and handle the basketball, because they are definitely very, very good at scoring off of other people’s mistakes.”

Senior guard Jasmine McGhee scored a team-high 18 points in the first matchup as the Spartan defense focused much of its attention on senior forward Aulani Sinclair.

Now she feels even more confident, averaging 13.7 points in the last three games.

“I think we’re more prepared than we were last time,” McGhee said. “I just think that we have to come out and execute and play hard and just take our time and do what we have to do to get this win.”