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March 20, 2006
Women's Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOOSIERS ESCAPE HULMAN CENTER
WITH HARD FOUGHT VICTORY
TERRE
HAUTE, Ind.
–
Indiana State had control of their second
round WNIT match-up with Indiana for the first 38-minutes of the
game, but it was in the final two-minutes that the Sycamores
stumbled and eventually fell to the Hoosiers 68-62. Indiana
State was paced by Lisa Verhoff with 18 points, shooting
six-of-10 from the field and 6-of-9 behind the arc. ISU’s season
ends at 27-6, while the Hoosiers continue to the WNIT
quarterfinals with a mark of 19-13.
It was IU’s Cyndi Valentin’s three-point basket
with 2:10 that put the Hoosiers up 61-59. Kristen Weddle would shave
the lead to one, hitting 1-of-2 free throws, but it would be the
closest the Sycamores would come.
"That was a heckuva game, I was just disappointed
to be on the losing end," ISU head coach Jim Wiedie said. "The kids
played hard and I thought that there effort was outstanding.
Indiana’s defense was much better in the second half that it was in
the first half."
During the first 20 minutes both teams went on
runs and then the momentum would shift as defense began to prevail
and create runs to answer. Indiana State capitalized with its first
run of 11-4 over a span of six minutes in the middle of the first
half. The Hoosiers would counter and go on a 16-7 run down the
stretch to trim the lead to two going into the break.
Following the break, the Sycamores press
smothered the Hoosiers and ISU capitalized and topped their lead at
seven with 11:48 remaining in the half. The teams would once again
battle back and forth until Valentin’s three-point basket swung the
momentum to Indiana in the final two minutes.
"Our seniors have a accomplished alot this
season. I was disappointed that this was the way our seniors had to
go out, but they have built a tradition with everything that they
have done," Wiedie concluded.
ISU ends its season as the best in school
history. The Sycamores won more games (27), played in more contests
(33) and had the best winning percentage (.818) of any team prior.
The Sycamores won a school-record 18 games at one point in the year,
and finish the year 12-2 at Hulman Center. ISU finishes the season
by averaging 3,815 fans per game – a new school-record and what will
prove to be as ranked in the nation’s Top 30.
The game also caps the career of one of the
greatest Sycamore basketball players of all-time – Melanie Boeglin.
Her standout career ended with 1,800 points scored (third best in
school history), 685 assists (first in Valley and tops at ISU), 444
steals (tops at ISU and the Valley and ninth-best in NCAA history),
and 576 made free throws (best at ISU and third in The Valley). Her
600 points this season are the most by a single-player during one
year in the history of the school. Not to be forgotten also is Lisa
Verhoff, who finished her career with 1,041 points and 214 made
3-pointers – the second-most in school history. It was fitting that
she closed her career with six 3-pointers and led the team in
scoring with 18 points.
ISU scored 2,512 points this season – a new
record. Verhoff knocked down 78 3-pointers this year, which is the
second-best mark during a year in the history of the school.
The Sycamores lose the services of seniors
Melanie Boeglin, Lisa Verhoff, Erin Hendrickson, Ashley Clark and
Kristen Weddle. The future remains bright despite the heavy losses
to graduation as the Sycamores return sophomores Leah Phillips,
Tiffany Reida and Kara Schilli. ISU will also gain the services of
junior transfer Angela Phillips as well as redshirt junior Anne
Thatcher.
GAME BOX SCORE
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