With five games left to play and the opportunity to make the State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in its own hands, the Illinois State University womens basketball team is opening what head coach
Jenny Yopp calls a new season at 7 p.m. Friday against Indiana State at Redbird Arena.
Its a new season, said Yopp, whose team has a 4-18 record, 2-11 in the Valley, left over from the old season. Were looking to go undefeated. Weve had a couple of days off and our players are coming back on the court fresh and ready to meet the competition. We have freshness and cohesiveness to play emotionally and physically to win.
Yopp is happy to open the five-game mini-season with three straight home games--Evansville (Tuesday) and Southern Illinois (Feb. 25) follow Indiana State into Normal--because she believes her young team has played some of its best basketball at home.
Our last home weekend, we played well against Wichita State and SMS, said Yopp. I think we play with much more confidence at home. The schedule is definitely in our favor. Were meeting the teams were competing against to reach our goal.
Indiana State, 7-15, 4-9, is two games ahead of the Birds in the standings, but also seeking to nail down a bid tot he eight-team Valley Tournament. Bradley, 7-14, 3-9, is just behind the Sycamores. ISU and Southern Illinois both have two league wins.
To Yopp, the Redbirds 76-67 loss at Indiana Statelast month was a tough one. Sycamore center Kiwana Battle had things her own way in the paint at both ends of the court, collecting a career-high 24 points on offense and six blocks on defense.
Indiana State pretty much took it to us from the get-go, said Yopp. Kiwana Battle only missed one field goal and really rattled us with her six blocked shots--four of them early in the game. We fell behind early and made some serious runs to come back, but it wasnt enough.
This time, Illinois State may have a better chance in the battle against Battle.
Kristi Larson is back playing regularly. When the two ISUs met, she was still trying to get her game going after foot surgery in October. Larson has averaged 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game andhit 20 of 29 field goals in her last four games.
Our post players are better than they were then, said Yopp, We have Kristi Larson able to do more for us and
Sharon Blade has been playing better recently.
Larson and Blade have Indiana State head coach Jim Wiedie concerned as well. His team hasnt had the best of it inside as much as he would like, with a -6.1 rebounding deficit.
Against Illinois State, you have to start inside and defend their posts, then defend the dribble penetration (by the perimeter players), said Wiedie. We really have to start to control the boards. Illinois State is an extremely important game. I dont want to label it a must game, but I can say that both teams are focused on reaching the conference tournament.
And that would start another season as well.
