The 2014-15 IU women’s basketball team will have a new look this season.
While the three-point, high-ball screen-oriented offense will remain much of the same, IU Coach Teri Moren wants to change the identity of the team.
“Every stop that (the coaching staff) has made, we always hang our hats on the defensive end,” Moren said. “That’s really been our emphasis here in the beginning. Hopefully, as we move forward with our basketball team, I want our identity to be on the defensive end.”
The Hoosiers ranked 157th in the nation last season in scoring defense, allowing 66.5 points per game.
Under former Coach Curt Miller, who had an offense-first approach, the team allowed opponents to shoot 40.6 percent from the field, the 180th best mark in the nation.
In comparison, Moren’s Indiana State Sycamores allowed opponents to shoot 40.2 percent, 163rd in the nation, although the team allowed just 60 points per game, which is the 40th best mark in the nation.
As the team’s identity is reconstructed, it will need last year’s leading scorer, sophomore point guard Larryn Brooks, to step up on the other end of the floor.
“Honestly I didn’t play much defense last year,” Brooks said. “Because of that, the coaching staff has been ?really hard on me. It was one of the aspects of my game that I really had to work on hard for this year.”
Sophomore guard Alexis Gassion said the group of six sophomores is embracing the leadership role, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
“Last year we were an offensive team just shooting threes,” she said. “This year the focus has been on communicating and defense. We are a young team, and as sophomores we have to step up and be leaders for the younger players.”
For as deep as IU is in the backcourt with 10 listed guards on the roster, the front court depth is an issue, especially with the loss of Tabitha Gerardot.
Gerardot graduated after leading the team in rebounds, 6.1, and blocked shots, 0.8 per game, last season.
Moren spoke highly of sophomore center Jenn Anderson, who will be a key piece of the rebounding puzzle moving forward.
Anderson, the only listed center on the roster, played in 16 games last season, including three starts, and appears to be the favorite to land the full-time starting spot this year.
“Jenn is big and takes up some space down low,” Moren said. “She can move her feet and block a lot of shots, but that’s not her game. We want her to play sound defense and to protect the rim for us.”
Moren also added ?Anderson is one of the verbal leaders on the court.
Although she has an idea of a few of the starters for the Nov. 9 opener against the University of Indianapolis, Moren hasn’t fully committed to a starting five, although she said she is intrigued by freshman forward Amanda Cahill who could step in as the starting replacement for Gerardot.
“The biggest surprise for us so far has been in that four spot with Amanda Cahill,” Moren said. “She has separated herself from our other three post players. She’s been terrific at the stretch four spot. Her ability to be around the ball and to rebound and just make plays while we’ve been in scrimmage situations is a nice surprise.”
