10.21.2004 Marquette Women's Basketball Preview
Carolyn Kieger |
Not much more could have gone right for Marquette in 2003-04. The team advanced to its seventh NCAA Tournament, became the second in school history to go to the second round and tied a school record for victories. It even forced the nation's no. 1 team, Duke, to play its best basketball to come away with a win in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. All the while, the team concept prevailed and success was the buzz word for the women's basketball program.
Expectations for the 2004-05 season are much the same.
"We've got a core group of players returning from last year, head coach Terri Mitchell said. "They've got the competitive fire to build off of last season's success and have yet another successful season."
For Marquette, it starts at point guard. Leading the team for the third year is junior Carolyn Kieger. The do-everything dynamo is Marquette's spark. Her scoring numbers dipped slightly from her freshman to her sophomore year, but that was a direct result of her assists increasing.
An 11.3 points per game scorer as a freshman, Kieger's totals dipped to 10.5 points per game last year, but her assists went from 125 to 188. She was directly responsible for more field goals as a sophomore (115 field goals, 183 assists) than her freshman year (107 field goals, 125 assists). That is a result to Kieger becoming more of a well-rounded player.
"We ask a lot from Carolyn," Mitchell said. "We've asked her to be a scorer and a passer. She's very comfortable with doing both."
As Marquette's second leading scorer in 2003-04 and leading distributor, Kieger has to make many decisions as when its best for the team to pass or when its best for her to shoot. That skill in Kieger is growing. With the ability to find the open player, drive the lane or spot up for a three, Kieger has many options which to attack a defense.
But it doesn't stop with Kieger, she's surrounded with talented players that bring many of tools to support her tools.
"We're constantly growing and constantly getting better," Mitchell said. "What Carolyn can do is important, but her ability to make the players around her better is one of her key strengths."
Kieger's expectations for 2004-05 are heightened based on last year's finish.
"This year is going to be exciting. Our team had a great off season and we are looking forward to building upon last year's success," Kieger said. "This year we are going to be young, however we are a talented and athletic group. We are going to look to play more up tempo this year and to push the ball whenever we see an opportunity. We are all looking forward to the year and our goal is to advance farther into the NCAA tournament than Marquette has before."
Joining Kieger at point guard are a pair of juniors. Junior Tierra Shirley and junior transfer Amber Johnson round out the trio at point guard.
Shirley's game has been improving over the last two seasons. Her speed is a major asset. While she will be a factor off the bench at point guard, spelling Kieger, there will be times she will join Kieger on the floor.
"We've got options to bring the ball up the floor beyond Carolyn," Mitchell said. "Tierra is one of those options. She gives us a different dimension."
Johnson, a transfer from Garden City (Kan.) Community College won't have the typical learning curve from junior college to NCAA Division I. She spent her freshman season at the University of Denver, where she started seven times. She averaged 15 minutes per game and shot a respectable 35.7 percent in her first season.
"She's a great ball handler," Mitchell said. "We will need her ball handling abilities on the court. She's a different kind of player from Carolyn and she's difficult to guard. She will give us a different look at that position."
Marquette will have to replace its leading scorer from a season ago. Kelly Schwerman, a senior in 2003-04, led the balanced squad with 12.0 points per game of the team's 65.2 per game average. While it only amounted to 18 percent of the scoring, finding those missing points will be a key early in the season.
The likely candidate to succeed Schwerman at the shooting guard will be freshman Svetlana Kovalenko. However, Kovalenko will not be the same type of player as Schwerman. Being a spot up shooter, Schwerman's first option was to shoot the outside jumper and drive second.
Kovalenko's skills lend her to a more of an inside player. At 6-foot-3, Kovalenko owns the typical frame of a post. While she'll see time on the block, she is athletic and has the ability to play a number of positions. She can drive the lane and spot up for the extended jumper. In addition, her size will create matchup problems for opponents.
"I'm excited to have her size and strength on the floor," Mitchell said. "She can do so many things, including getting inside and getting to the free throw line."
Other players who fill the shooting guard spot will bring different aspects to the position. When Johnson or Shirley is on the floor to bring the ball up and run the offense, Kieger will find herself in the position at times to get open and catch and shoot or drive and shoot.
A series of other players will find time at this position as well, including senior Lesely Juedes. Year after year, Mitchell has challenged her seniors and they've often responded with an exceptional season. As the only senior on the team who has been on the squad for four years, Mitchell is challenging Juedes to help guide this team with a breakout season.
"This is it for her," Mitchell said. "We don't want to dwell on it being the final season, but you want to have your best year as a senior. She's been working on her outside shot and she's going to be expected to be a shooter."
Marquette has become a guard-oriented offense the offense again will resemble a three-guard attack. Sophomore Danielle Kamm will fill that third spot. A starter as a freshman, Kamm's experience make her more than the typical sophomore. Like Kieger a year ago, Kamm will rely on that experience as a freshman to be even more integral to the Marquette cause.
The fifth leading scorer on the team as a freshman, Kamm shined at times showing her full potential. She averaged 8.0 points per game last season, leading the team in scoring three times, including Marquette's win over DePaul in the regular-season finale. But she was more than just a scorer. She was a force on the glass, grabbing 5.3 boards per game, the second best total on the squad. She led the team six times in rebounding a year ago, including 13 against St. Bonaventure and 12 against Tulane.
"We're hoping Danielle can pick up where she left off last year," Mitchell said. "She did a lot as a freshman and we're counting on those same things this year."
At forward, Marquette will be looking to fill the shoes of Crystal Weaver. While Weaver's stats weren't team leading, it was the intangibles that she brought to the game. She was scrappy and often produced when the game was on the line.
Filling her spot will likely be that of sophomore Jasmine McCullough. McCullough steadily improved as the season continued last year and was a valuable member of the squad by season's end. She scored 55 percent of her points in the final 10 games of the season, including eight against Memphis, nine at TCU and eight in the regular season finale against DePaul.
"Jasmine reminds me a lot of Crystal Weaver," Mitchell said. "She wants to be that kind of player. She wants to be the player who will do whatever it takes to win."
Several players will join McCullough to be in the mix for the forward spot, as well as for the back up spot at center and to fill in behind Kamm.
One of those players is senior Monica Frede. Frede is one of many players who is over six-feet tall, but has a reliable outside shot. Frede's size likens her to the forward spot, but she will also drift to the third guard position, based on her shooting ability. Like Juedes, the other senior, she has been challenged heading into her final collegiate season.
"We've challenge her as to how she wants to end her playing career," Mitchell said. "Setting higher goals is part of it. We want to see Monica as part of the scoring offense."
Frede has stepped up to the challenge.
"I'm very excited to be a senior this year, because we have started a tradition of success here at Marquette. I want to continue and to increase that tradition with my teammates," Frede said. "We have set this precident through hard work and dedication, day in and day out, since last season ended. Our goal is to see the program take a step further than where we have been in the past, and set a foundation as a powerhouse in women's basketball."
Junior Efueko Osagie will compete for the forward spot. She has an aggressiveness in the paint that will earn her playing time. Her defensive abilities alone make her a valuable component of the Marquette rotation. She has been presented with the idea that she can be Marquette's stopper, replacing departed senior and 2004 Defensive MVP Katie O'Grady.
"O'Grady's defensive skills have been talked about a lot to Efueko," Mitchell said. " I think she can embrace that role and become a defensive menace."
Freshman Savanna Anderson will vie for playing time at the forward spot. She might also find time at the third guard position as well as the center spot. Anderson comes to Marquette from Oshkosh (Wis.) West High School, where she was part of a very successful high school program, including an undefeated state championship team as a junior.
"She brings a winning attitude," Mitchell said. "She will do whatever she is asked. She reminds me a lot of Kelly Schwerman as a freshman with the strong attitude and unbelievable work ethic."
Junior Dawneshia Smith will also be a back-up at the forward and center spots. She saw action in only five games last season, mostly due to a nagging injury that forced her to be sidelined.
"Dawneshia will benefit from another year of experience," Mitchell said. "While it was unfortunate that she spent most of the year on the sidelines, it helped her grow as a player."
At center, Marquette found a jewel in sophomore Christina Quaye. As a freshman, Quaye came in unheralded and became a valuable commodity. She averaged 19.5 points per game in the NCAA Tournament and scored the winning bucket against Old Dominion to allow Marquette to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.
Quaye makes up for her lack of size with her strength. She will not get pushed off the block. In addition to her strength, she has great touch around the basket. Quaye got better as the year progressed. She had 13 double digit scoring games in 2003-04, five of which came in the final five games of the season. She finished third on the team in scoring at 9.1 points per game.
"Christina's our rock near the basket," Mitchell said. "She can play with anyone. She is not afraid and will battle with anybody."
With nine returning players on the team and just two seniors, the nucleus of the squad is in place. The perimeter-oriented attack offense has steadily improved with each passing season. However, it is the defense that guides this team's success.
Terri Mitchell coached teams are known for their defensive persistence and effort. That is not an unknown factor. Finding a way to attack Marquette's defense often troubles opposing teams. Last year, Marquette allowed 58.3 points per game, the best total in Conference USA.
"Our defensive intensity is going to be there," Mitchell said. "That's what sparks us is our defensive play.
Marquette held 19 of its 2003-04 opponents under 60 points. When the defense is working, so is the offense. Marquette won each of those 19 games last season.
While defense is the strong suit, there's no doubt that the offense must to its job. The improvement must come from everyone on the floor.
"We're looking to have more people handle the ball," Mitchell said. "Everyone must be able to control the ball. We have to limit turnovers and be able to have everyone bring the ball up the floor to create more options."
While the offense and defense are expected to step things up a notch, the schedule does the same. Marquette faces a much more formidable schedule than it did a year ago. Having the ability to play at home gives the team more scheduling options. On the non-conference schedule are NCAA Tournament teams Notre Dame, Iowa, Wis.-Green Bay, Penn State and Mississippi. The ever-improving Conference USA schedule also provides Marquette with significant challenges.
"We have a challenging non-conference schedule," Mitchell said. "We expect it to pay off in the, getting us to the NCAA Tournament. If we improve with every game with that tough schedule, we should be in a position to make the NCAA Tournament."
Marquette begins its first full season at the Al McGuire Center. A superb facility, the Al McGuire Center offers one of the nation's best in-game atmospheres, combined with many behind-the-scenes amenities. Playing on campus for half the season last year, Marquette's attendance rose and the Al McGuire Center became a destination for excitement, energy and great basketball. This season, Marquette will enjoy that for the duration of the season.
"'The Al' is a wonderful place," Mitchell said. "It has a great game environment and we have a true home court advantage here."
Marquette was successful at "The Al" last year, winning all eight of its contests in the facility.
If the final eight home games of last season was any indication, the combination of the determination of the players, the energy of the coaches, the strength of schedule and the enthusiasm of the players, 2004-05 will certainly be a memorable season.