By Chris May
Contributing Writer
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Miss Basketball
Amber Harris (right) battles Alicia Bunton (2) under the basket. Harris’ 15 points tied Ashley Barlow for a team high. Photo by Natalie Evans |
INDIANAPOLIS â??? Ashley Barlow didnâ??t wear the No. 1 jersey for Indiana this June, but she had no problem leading the 2006 Indianapolis Star Indiana All-Stars to a perfect record and sweep of rival Kentucky.
After a 17-point, 11-rebound performance June 24 against Kentucky â???
her second double-double in as many games against those from the
Bluegrass state â??? Barlow was awarded the Indiana most valuable player
award after the 75-63 win.
Although similar in score to the previous meeting between the
squads, the story line played out a little differently this time
around. While Indiana had to storm back and make a late defensive stand
to win 71-64 at Kentucky, the Hoosiers never trailed at Conseco
Fieldhouse.
But things werenâ??t a breeze.
With Kentucky Miss Basketball Arnika Brown turning in her own
dominant 13-point, 17-rebound, four-steal game, the visitors
outrebounded Indiana 58-39. Kentucky managed to cut its deficit to just
one point, but it never owned a lead in the contest.
Despite that landslide rebounding margin, the Kentuckians punished
themselves with 34 turnovers that Indiana converted into 27 points.
â??If you take out the mistakes, we would have been right in thereâ?
said Kentucky coach Don Dillard. â??They scored on turnovers. Our team
caused turnovers (21), but we didnâ??t get anything out of it.â?
The Hoosiers pushed to the win thanks to 48 percent shooting in the
second half, one in which Indiana Miss Basketball Amber Harris stepped
up her play. After a 31-27 halftime lead, Indiana allowed two baskets
by Kentucky, trimming the lead to one. The lead remained one at 33-32
before Indiana took off.
â??We did not realize it,â? said Barlow, referring to the one-point
lead and the 10-0 run that followed. â??We just continued to play
defense.â?
During a second half in which Indiana outscored Kentucky 44-37,
Harris dropped in five of her six shot attempts en route to 11 points
in the half and 15 on the game. Harris also added six blocks, five
rebounds, and four steals to her final stat line.
Aside from Barlow and Harris (15 points), Indiana also got
double-digit scoring from Dee Dee Jernigan (10). Kentucky, meanwhile,
saw Chelsia Lymon (12 points) join Brown in double figures.
In addition to her game-high 17 points and MVP honor, Barlow was
also named the John Wooden/MCL Citizenship Award winner. In the two
games against Kentucky, the Notre Dame signee totaled 40 points and 23
rebounds.
The win and sweep of Kentucky continued recent trends. Indianaâ??s
winning streak stands at three, but since 1993, the Hoosier girls have
swept their neighbors to the south eight times and have gone 22-6.
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