Even though most college basketball teams begin their seasons this weekend, most wouldn't be as anxious to start as Illinois State and Northern Illinois, who meet at 7 p.m., Friday at Evans Field House in DeKalb.
The Redbirds and Huskies won six games each last year, and both coaches, Illinois State's Jenny Yopp and Northern Illinois' Carole Hammerle, will be anxious to see what talented newcomers and key players returning from injuries can do.
The fact that it's a 'whole new season' for both is evidenced by the fact that likely both teams will rely heavily on freshmen. Yopp has six of them and they have seen extensive action during the exhibition games. Hammerle will likely open with Jennifer Youngblood, Monique Davis and Lindsay Secrest.
Each has a key player coming off surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament: ISU's Steph Reichle and NIU's Mystique Adams. Reichle led the Redbirds in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and free throw shooting when she went down last year, while Adams missed the entire 1999-2000 season.
Only Yopp has fond memories of last year's meeting. NIU had a 16-point lead with 13 minutes left when the Redbirds, led by Reichle and 6-foot-4 Kristi Larson, charged back to within striking distance, winning the game on a last-second three-pointer by Nadia Peruch.
For Yopp, having a dozen healthy players including six talented freshmen means she can play the 94-40 style--pressure defense, transition offense--she likes best. A year ago, injuries made that impossible. Yopp hopes her team will be equal to the test of Northern Illinois' pressure game.
"It will be a big challenge to begin the season on the road against the kind of defensive pressure we will face," said Yopp, who believes her current roster is better in nearly every possible way.
"We have more weapons," said Yopp. "It will be interesting to see who leads us in scoring and rebounding. It could be different every night. Our posts are stronger. We have great perimeter depth. We're confident."
Yopp figures to start the aforementioned Reichle and Peruch, plus freshman Sharon Blade, junior Kellie Johnson and senior Shandeen Hunt. Michelle Johnson, NIU's leading scorer and rebounder from last year, and sophomore Kim Boeding join the three freshmen in the Huskie starting lineup. NIU will be without veterans Kristan Knake and Jessica Shattuck, both of whom are serving suspensions for violation of team policies.
-- 30 --
