Illinois State coach Robin Pingeton believes you get better by playing great competition. The Redbirds season-opening womens basketball game at 8 p.m. (central time) Friday at No. 11 Notre Dame in the SportsView.tv Preseason Womens NIT meets Pingetons qualifications.
We have tremendous respect for (Irish coach) Muffet McGraw and the Notre Dame program, said Pingeton, whose Redbirds had their first winning record in seven years by finishing 16-13 in 2003-04. You dont ever want to be too high or too low about one game, but Im hoping well go out there and leave it all on the court.
The Irish, 21-11 last year, have four returning starters including 6-foot-2 senior Jacqueline Batteast, a returning all-American some believe could be the best player in the nation.
They go 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 across the front line and have a great point guard who can score in (Megan) Duffy, said Pingeton. I wish we were completely healthy, but, hopefully, we will go out there with nothing to lose.
The preseason has been a bumpy ride for Pingeton and company. Potential starters Jaci McCormack,
Megan McCracken and Michelle Harakas all have missed exhibition games with injuries. Junior college transfer center Holly Hallstrom turned an ankle in Sundays 102-64 win over Saint Xavier.
But, the good news is, all but McCracken will be ready for Notre Dame. McCormack, ISUs No. 2 scorer from last year, has recovered from her own ankle problems, as has Harakas. McCracken has an injured heel which likely will sideline her for at least two more weeks.
Jaci practiced (Tuesday) and it was like shed never been gone, said Pingeton. Hollys ankle is fine. Michelle practiced without any problems this week. Were going to miss Megan for a while, but I just have the feeling that, once we get healthy, this team will be able to move it up a notch.
Pingeton has been impressed with the effort of the healthy players who have dominated the minutes in the exhibition games. It has allowed her to give her four freshmen extensive minutes.
When we get healthy, our bench will be much more athletic than it was last year, said Pingeton, who signed four 2005-06 freshmen recruits on Wednesday. Against a team like Notre Dame, you cant make mistakes and well have to play really well to win. But Im excited about our schedule and the kids we have in our program now are the kind of kids who want to play in those kinds of games.
The winner of the Notre Dame-Illinois State game plays the winner of the Nebraska-Western Illinois game Sunday at a site to be determined after Fridays eight first-round games are concluded.
