In the five-team race for the final four spots in the 2002 State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, Illinois State coach
Jenny Yopp and her team wont be scoreboard watching to check the progress of competitors. Yopp plans to have her team busy taking care of its own business.
We can only control what we can control, said Yopp, whose team is 6-16 overall, 4-9 in the Valley entering Fridays 7:05 p.m. game with Evansville in Redbird Arena. We have plenty of people telling us what if regarding the Valley race. But, right now, this team plays its best when we are focused on doing what we can do on the court, controlling what we can control.
Two of the Redbirds who have been controlling well lately have been sophomore forward
Stacey White and freshman forward
Katie Donovan. White made 7 of 10 three-pointers while averaging 15.5 points per game on the recent trip to Creighton and Drake. Donovan has improved her offensive performance, continues to lead the Birds in rebounds (she had 9 at Drake) and has been using her 6-foot height, long arms and quick feet to effectively guard opposing point guards.
Stacey has come out of a little scoring slump better equipped to handle defensive pressure, said Yopp. Katie has been excelling at both ends of the floor. She looks more confident in our offense and we know she is a rebounder and strong defender. Its great to see that, at this time of the year, shes advancing her game to a higher level.
In the battle for the final four spots in the Valley tournament, five teams have four, five or six wins with still nearly one-third of the season remaining. Evansville 11-11 overall, 6-6 in the Missouri Valley, is one of those teams ahead of the Birds. The others are Bradley, Wichita State and Indiana State, all with five wins.
The Aces also are one of four league teams with better conference road records (3-2) than home (3-4). Evansville coach Tricia Cullop is bothered by Illinois States offensive improvement since the teams last met. The Redbirds, averaging below 55 points per game before facing Evansville, have averaged 62 points per game since.
Illinois State is a team that drives the ball to the basket really well, said Cullop. I saw where they made eight three-pointers at Drake. Being able to hit the three and drive as well as they do makes them dangerous.
Cullop believes her team has created its own problems, particularly in recent home losses to Southwest Missouri State and Wichita State. Evansville might be as glad to get out of town as the Redbirds are to be back home.
We missed 13 free throws (on our own court) in one game, said Cullop. We got into foul trouble in the other game. We need to control our emotions, limit our fouls and stay focused. For some reason, when we get away from home, we get focused on what we need to take care of.
Like the Redbirds, the Aces wont be watching the scoreboard for other scores.
