Indiana University names Amber Smith Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach
Indiana Women’s Basketball Head Coach Teri Moren has announced the hiring of Amber Smith as an Assistant Coach to her staff. Smith arrives in Bloomington after a total of seven seasons with Kentucky Women’s Basketball. She served as an Assistant Coach for the last five seasons (2018-23) and two seasons as Director of Player Development (2016-18). “I am thrilled that Amber is joining us in Bloomington” Moren said. “Amber is passionate, high energy, excellent at building relationships, and is the ultimate competitor that will fit in perfectly to our culture. We are excited that she has decided to become a part of our Hoosier family.”
A native of Winter Haven, Florida, Smith helped the Wildcats to four NCAA Tournament appearances in her seven seasons and was instrumental in development of Kentucky’s guards including the overall 2022 No. 1 WNBA draft pick in 12-time All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year Rhyne Howard. In five seasons as an assistant coach, UK won the 2022 Southeastern Conference tournament title and finished in the top four of the conference on multiple occasions. Smith helped develop starting point guard and freshman Jada Walker, who averaged 10.4 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting from the field and 35.5 percent from long range. Walker was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. While serving as the director of player development, Smith helped coordinate student-athlete community service, while working with the players in a variety of other areas. Her development work has been rewarded by UK producing the SEC Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year in both 2018 and 2019. The UK women’s basketball program also made history under Smith’s leadership with two players selected in the 2017 WNBA Draft in third-overall pick Evelyn Akhator and 33rd-overall pick Makayla Epps. Akhator was the highest draft pick in program history.
Smith returned to Lexington in the spring of 2016 as the Director of Player Development after spending three years in the coaching ranks at the Division I level. Smith started her coaching career as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Tennessee before a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech, where her main roles were recruiting and on-court development. During her time in Knoxville, the Lady Vols won 29 games, including winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
A member of the most successful senior class in Kentucky women’s basketball history, Smith played in 123 career games for UK at guard with 109 starts. She was a member of the 2008 SEC All-Freshman Team and ranks sixth all-time in program history in assists and eighth all-time in assists per game. During her tenure, Smith averaged 7.0 points per game and 3.4 assists per game, helping Kentucky advance to four consecutive postseason tournaments, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. A May 2011 graduate from UK with a Bachelor’s Degree in integrated strategic communications, she recently earned her Master’s in sports management from Morehead State University in May 2020.
James Goodis joins the Indiana University Men’s Basketball Team as a walk-on
Indiana has to replace several walk-ons from its 2022-23 team. One of the new non-scholarship players will be James Goodis of Winter Park, Fla. He is listed on the IU roster as a 6-foot-1 and 170-pound guard. Goodis is 2023 graduate of Montverde Academy in Florida, where he played for a regional team under the direction of Coach Kevin Boyle. Montverde is the same school that produced Hoosiers Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau, and several current recruiting targets. Goodis played AAU ball for Nike program the Georgia Stars. He will study Finance in the Kelley School of Business. He joins New Palestine’s Ian Stephens as the Walk On’s for the 2023-24 season.
Indiana University Men’s Basketball to host Kennesaw State in December
For the fourth time in 11 years, Kennesaw State will venture up to Bloomington for a December nonconference game with IU. According to a report by Rocco Miller, the Hoosiers will host KSU on Dec. 29 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Indiana struggled against the Owls last December in a poorly attended game due to bitter cold temperatures. The Hoosiers were playing without arguably their two best players Trayce Jackson-Davis and Xavier Johnson. And they trailed 22-15 in the first half in a game that felt like it could end up with a loss. Kennesaw State led by four with just 12 minutes remaining before IU pulled away late and won 69-55. Indiana leads the all-time series 3-0. They also hosted Kennesaw State in 2013 and 2015, and won those games 90-66 and 99-72, respectively. 28 of IU’s 31 games on the 2023-24 schedule are now known as the official schedule will be announced later this summer.
But the Owls will look much different when they arrive in Bloomington this winter. Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim filled the head coaching vacancy of the South Florida Bulls, and top players Chris Youngblood, Brandon Stroud and Kasen Jennings followed him there. Under Abdur-Rahim, the trio contributed to the Owls winning a program-best 26 games, an ASUN conference title and the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance last year. But Kennesaw won’t be a pushover under new head coach Antoine Pettway, a former Alabama assistant who at one point was on the same Crimson Tide staff as IU assistant Yasir Rosemond. Point guard Terrell Burden and forward Demond Robinson signed on to return to KSU. They were the second and third leading scorer’s last season. And Pettway has added a number of players from the high school and transfer portal ranks, including West Virginia forward Jamel King, and Marcus Whitlock, a high school teammate of IU freshman Jakai Newton.
Matchups announced for the 2023 Indy College Basketball Classic
The second annual Indy Classic powered by Sports Tech HQ will feature the men’s basketball programs of Purdue versus Arizona and Indiana State versus Ball State at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 16. Game times and TV information will be announced at a later date. Indiana Sports Corp, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and Russ Potts Productions, Inc. partner to host this annual basketball showcase that focuses on bringing the top collegiate basketball teams to Indianapolis to compete in a doubleheader. The Indy Classic serves as an annual fundraiser for Indiana Sports Corp’s non-profit mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome four historic basketball programs to Indianapolis as we continue to build Indy Classic into a premiere basketball showcase,” said Indiana Sports Corp President Patrick Talty. “The 2023 Indy Classic allows fans to see some of the best collegiate basketball in the country in the nation’s most storied basketball state.”
“The very best college basketball belongs right here in the basketball capital of the world, and we are excited that this year’s Indy Classic will showcase some of the country’s most successful and iconic programs,” said Pacers Sports & Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Rick Fuson.
“We are excited for the second annual Indy Classic that features one of the top non-conference matchups in the country this season,” said Zach Franz, President of Russ Potts Productions, Inc. “We look forward to working with our great partners at Indiana Sports Corp and Pacers Sports and Entertainment to deliver a marquee event that will put the basketball spotlight on Indy once again this December. We invite basketball fans across the country to join us in continuing the new tradition of the Indy Classic.”
Purdue and Arizona have played twelve times previously, with Purdue leading the all-time series seven games to five. The two programs have previously met in Indianapolis in 2000 at then Conseco Fieldhouse as part of the John Wooden Tradition. Indiana State and Ball State have an extensive history against each other, with their first game dating back to 1919. Tickets for the 2023 Indy Classic will go on sale later this summer through Ticketmaster.com. For more information about the event and sponsorship opportunities, visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.
Indiana Fever lose a close one at home against the Phoenix Mercury
The Indiana Fever (2-6) were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after a fourth quarter rally paved the way for an 85-82 Mercury victory. Fever forward NaLyssa Smith, Indiana’s leading scorer and rebounder on the night, notched her fifth double-double of the season with a career-high 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting while pulling down 12 rebounds. Fever guards Erica Wheeler and Kelsey Mitchell both recorded double figures in the scoring column as well, netting 17 and 12 points respectively. With her first of two assists on the night, Mitchell took sole possession of fourth place for most assists all-time in franchise history with 472 career assists in a Fever uniform. The Fever guard surpassed Katie Douglas with 470 assists and is now trailing Wheeler in third place with 587. Mitchell also ended the night in second place in franchise history for most made field goals, also passing Douglas. She ended the game with 903 for her career and trails only Tamika Catchings on the Fever all-time ranks. Former IU Star Grace Berger played 5 minutes and missed her only field goal attempt of the game.
The Mercury caught fire to begin the game, leading the Fever after a 15-6 scoring run within the first four minutes of the game. A collective scoring effort from six Fever players helped Indiana shrink the deficit to end the quarter, 26-20. Smith guided Indiana’s scoring attack as she contributed seven points on 3-of-6 shooting in the first ten minutes. Midway through the second quarter, a pair of completed free throws from Smith gave Indiana its first lead of the game after 16 minutes of play. Indiana’s defense held the Mercury shooting 35.3 percent (6-of-17) and a 17-point offensive output in the second quarter. The Fever remained within reach of the lead going into the locker room with Phoenix ahead, 43-42.
Indiana opened the second half with a 14-4 scoring run allowing the Fever to take the lead that would quickly extend and hold throughout the entirety of the third quarter. Wheeler, whose mid-range jumper gave Indiana the lead to start the quarter, shot 5-of-6 from the floor as she pitched in 10 of her 17 points in the third quarter alone. Indiana’s 12-of-17 shooting clip and strong defensive production held the Mercury to 16 points and propelled them into the fourth quarter leading Phoenix, 67-59. Phoenix began the last fourth quarter on a 10-0 run in the first 1:56 and held Indiana to 6-of-16 shooting to close the game out. Indiana held on until the final buzzer as the fourth quarter featured five lead changes in front of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd. The Mercury ultimately held on after outscoring Indiana, 26-15, in the final frame and shot 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Smith recorded 12 of Indiana’s final 15 points.
For Phoenix, all five starters scored in double figures, highlighted by center Brittney Griner’s 29 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Griner’s scoring effort was supported by Diana Taurasi’s 18 points, Sophie Cunningham’s 13 points, Michaela Onyenwere’s 11 points and 12 rebounds, as well as Sug Sutton’s 10 points and seven assists. Griner and Taurasi shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor collectively in the first quarter, and Cunningham led the fourth quarter scoring attack while totaling 11 points in the final frame. Indiana ended the night converting a season-high 21 second chance points on 11 offensive rebounds. The Fever come back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight to take on the Washington Mystics at 7pm and tonight’s game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Indiana.
Follow us on Facebook
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson