{"id":34648,"date":"2016-03-03T13:36:34","date_gmt":"2016-03-03T19:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=34648"},"modified":"2016-03-03T15:20:09","modified_gmt":"2016-03-03T21:20:09","slug":"freshman-guard-returns-home-for-big-ten-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/freshman-guard-returns-home-for-big-ten-tournament\/","title":{"rendered":"Freshman guard returns home for Big Ten tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michelle R. Martinelli<\/strong>
\nVideo By Hannah Gebresilassie<\/strong><\/p>\n

INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 <\/strong>As a 9-year-old girl standing on an empty court at the Big Ten Tournament, Jordan Hankins was in awe of how huge it looked. Although she wasn\u2019t intimidated and took advantage of being able to shoot around before the teams and their fans showed up, she couldn\u2019t imagine playing a real game on such a big stage.<\/p>\n

But the freshman guard evolved from an eager child dunking on a lowered net before games to drilling 3-pointers in the Big Ten Women\u2019s Basketball Tournament for the Northwestern.<\/p>\n

[vimeo 157629986 w=474]<\/p>\n

Freshman guard Jordan Hankins returns home to Indianapolis to help carry the Wildcats through another round in the 2016 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

An Indianapolis native, Hankins returned to her hometown for just the second time since September to compete in her first conference tournament this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really excited,\u201d Hankins said. \u201cI remember going down there all the time when [Indianapolis] hosted it as a kid \u2014 going down on the floor and participating in the festivities and watching. But now, it\u2019s going to be a great experience [since] it\u2019s my turn to be on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hankins made the most of it Wednesday. She hit two 3-pointers in 66 seconds at the end of the second quarter, igniting her team\u2019s energy going into halftime during the No. 12-seed Wildcats\u2019 76-72 overtime win against No. 13-seed Wisconsin on Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.<\/p>\n

Hankins scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds in her 15 minutes of playing time. In comparison, she averages three points per game and one rebound in about nine minutes on the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cJordan\u2019s two 3s really gave us a big lift in the first half when we were struggling to score,\u201d coach Joe McKeown said.<\/p>\n

\"JordanHankins\"
Freshman guard Jordan Hankins warms up at halftime during the opening game of the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Wildcats defeated Wisconsin with a 76-72 overtime victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. (Michelle R. Martinelli\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s always comforting for players when they travel home for a basketball game or tournament and play in front of their families and friends, McKeown said. They get home sick all the time, he added, but it\u2019s fun to come home and show everyone what they\u2019ve learned.<\/p>\n

It also was a thrill for her family. Remembering his young daughter\u2019s determination to improve while shooting layups before tournament games, Hankins\u2019 father Walter said he isn\u2019t surprised his daughter is playing for a Big Ten team.<\/p>\n

\u201cJordan was always a competitor,\u201d Walter said. \u201cI can tell you that in whatever she did, she always wanted to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hankins\u2019 future role as a Wildcat is up to her, McKeown said. She has the talent to eventually take over as the starting point guard when junior Ashley Deary graduates. But she\u2019ll have to maintain her \u201cgym rat\u201d mentality and earn the position.<\/p>\n

Hankins said she wants to be a hometown role model for her younger brother and former high school teammates and show them how her hard work led to her budding success in college basketball.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that I\u2019m here and knowing that [I\u2019m playing in the tournament], it reassures me that I am improving,\u201d Hankins said. \u201cYears ago, I never thought I\u2019d be right here, and now I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo at top: Freshman guard Jordan Hankins sets up on defense against Loyola in Chicago on Dec. 13, 2015. Northwestern defeated the Ramblers 81-72 during the Wildcats’ nonconference season. (Stephen Carrera\/Northwestern Athletics)<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Michelle R. Martinelli Video By Hannah Gebresilassie INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 As a 9-year-old girl standing on an empty court at the Big Ten Tournament, Jordan Hankins was in awe of how huge it looked. 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