Hoosiers confident heading into Penn State matchup

IU will face Penn State for the second time in the regular season when it plays host to the Nittany Lions Thursday at 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall.

When the IU women’s basketball team faced Penn State for the first time this season, the Hoosiers lost 65-52. The Nittany Lions made less than 40 percent of their field goal attempts in the matchup.

The Hoosiers said they recognized the Nittany Lions weren’t on their A-game and hold themselves to a higher standard for their performance in Thursday’s rematch.
 
“We definitely could’ve played better that game,” senior center Simone Deloach said. “Losing by 13 to a top-ranked team is an accomplishment, but we know we didn’t play our best. So we just want to make sure we play Indiana basketball this time out.”

The Hoosiers will have more time to prepare for this game than their first matchup against Penn State.

The first matchup was IU’s fourth game in seven days, and one of six games in a span 15 days.

IU Coach Curt Miller previously said the Hoosiers pride themselves on being a scout-heavy team, so the additional time has been beneficial. The Hoosiers had an extra day to prepare for the second matchup against Penn State.

Miller said the team has been using the third day to work on self-improvement in fundamentals.

“It’s about us right now and improving,” Miller said. “It was great to have that day that you could really step back and work on some fundamentals, work on yourself and get in some extra shooting.”

Players said they are appreciative of the additional preparation time. Deloach said it definitely helps that the team has already played Penn State.

“That extra day definitely gives us a boost of confidence for what we want to execute,” she said.

Freshman guard Taylor Agler said she felt the Hoosiers were not overlooked in the first game.

“They came in with a good game plan and seemed really well prepared,” she said. “I think they had some respect for us.”

The Hoosiers’ defense in the first matchup commanded respect, forcing 21 Nittany Lion turnovers, six shy of their season-high.

This was one of many points of emphasis during the film session. Miller said the players have been shown tape and constantly reminded that they did not see Penn State’s best effort.

The Nittany Lions’ 65 points was its lowest scoring output in Big Ten play.

“In the second half, they had a significant lead in the teens and kind of slowed the game and managed possessions,” Miller said. “We didn’t see the explosive Penn State, offensively, that we know they’re capable of.”

Deloach said the IU women’s basketball team expects to be the underdog all season.
That won’t change Thursday.

“We’ve always gone into a game as the underdogs,” Deloach said. “So that’s something we kind of expect throughout the season.

However, Agler said the 13-point loss in the previous matchup gives the team confidence. 

“It definitely gives us confidence that we can come in and compete with them again,” she said. “We really just want to come back and show them we can play with them.”

Follow reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1