This year’s freshman class showed they are no joke ?either.
In the Hoosiers’ one and only exhibition game Sunday, IU defeated the University of Indianapolis 88-49. The new class of freshmen accounted for 52 of those points and 22 of their 41 rebounds.
Freshman Amanda Cahill came out strong in the first half, almost earning a double-double in the first 20 minutes, matching her nine points with nine rebounds. She finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds in her Assembly Hall debut.
“I like her even more today than I did yesterday,” IU Coach Teri Moren said of Cahill. “She’s gonna be a special player in the Big Ten. She just has a knack for being around the ball. She’s been all that I told you she was — a nice ?surprise.”
Also showing her all-around skillset was highly-touted freshman Tyra Buss. She totaled 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting on the afternoon, which tied the game high.
Buss’ offense was a well-known asset as she averaged 45.8 points in her senior season of high school, but her defense showed up Sunday as well.
She constantly pressured the opposing guards and her aggressive tactics paid off in the form of five steals.
“We’re gonna keep continuing to do that,” Buss said. “Pressuring the ball and slowing the ball down so they can’t get easy points in transition and just talking and communicating with our teammates.”
After IU started 0-of-10 from behind the arc, sophomore Larryn Brooks ended the drought with a three more than 15 minutes into the game.
That was all last year’s leading scorer could manage scoring-wise, but her seven assists were more than double any other player’s.
The only player the Hoosiers had a problem with defensively was the Greyhounds’ Kelly Walter. She shot 5-for-13 from deep and finished with 26 of Indianapolis’ 49 points.
Moren said one of the team’s defensive goals was to hold the Greyhounds to less than 40 points.
“I want this program to be based on what we do on the defensive end,” Moren said. “Our freshmen have come in and just bought into what we’ve been implementing. It starts with that in our ?program.”
Moren said she ties rebounding in with defense and between Cahill and Buss, she got both from her freshmen class.
A lot has been made of the Hoosiers’ propensity to score, but Moren said the team’s success will be defined by how well they can guard and rebound.
The Hoosiers open up their official season next Saturday in Assembly Hall when Gardner-Webb comes to Bloomington. Brooks said the Hoosiers are hoping to take momentum from this win into next weekend.
Brooks also said improved defense has been a personal and team goal this offseason. In games where she only manages three points, that will be especially true.
“Defense is our biggest emphasis this year, so on that end is where we’re really working hard,” Brooks said. “This was just an exhibition so we just hope we can carry this over into next Saturday and then continue it on to the ?Big Ten.”
