2002-03 Women's Basketball Outlook
11/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 5, 2002
With only one person, guard Natalie Bright, gone from last season's squad that qualified for the WNIT, Head Coach Cindy Stein enters her fifth season with perhaps her deepest roster. Four starters among nine letterwinners return, and five talented newcomers join them, giving Stein plenty of options when determining the five who are playing at their best at any given moment.
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"You can't win in our league with one or two people being hot. You need three or four people playing consistently at the same time, making something good happen. The great teams have all five."
-- Head Coach Cindy Stein
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In addition to improved depth, the team has already gained notice with its improved athleticism. Part of the Tigers' improvement in that area is in due in part to the stellar incoming recruiting class put together by Stein and her staff, but the returners have done their part as well.
"This team made more of a commitment this past summer to do a lot of the things it needed to do to get better," says Stein, who has guided the Tigers to the postseason in each of the last three years, the longest such stretch at Mizzou since the mid-80's. "We've always had a few players stay through the summer; this year we had a majority of them. It certainly helps with the transition from one season to the next, and it eases the stress load once we start practice in the fall, because people already know the level of work it will take to be successful."
 Senior All-Big 12 guard Kerensa Barr looks to lead the Tigers to their fourth straight postseason berth.  |
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The improved athleticism will help the Tigers in many ways, but most visibly in its defensive pressure. Stein's trademark relentless defense was at times inconsistent last year, but early signs have shown that Missouri should be back to its old ways quickly under Stein, who says that the players have instinctively picked up on where they need to be, and are also thinking ahead. In fact, she says that the combination of the team's defensive instincts, offensive patience and team chemistry are "10 times better than at any point that I've been here."
 Evan Unrau joined Kerensa Barr as an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 member last year. |
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That includes the 2000-01 Tigers, who advanced to Missouri's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in nearly 20 years?
"That team persevered better through a lot of adversity. This team already accepts adversity so much better," Stein argues. The team's contrasting experiences from the past two seasons have allowed the veterans to realize what is possible, and how it can be accomplished. "Everyone has a burning in their belly: they want to prove that they can do what were recruited to do."
This year's mix of athleticism and depth could potentially be problematic - in a good way - for Stein. "This season is a little more of a question mark because we're very competitive at every position, and that's something we haven't had in a while.
"Our depth is so good. You're trying to find a way to playing 14 people and be consistent in doing it. The nice thing about having that many people is that if somebody's having an off night, somebody should be able to step in.
THE RETURNERS
Count on one of the Tigers upon whom Stein will depend being senior guard Kerensa Barr (West Plains, Mo.) at the point. A three-year starter and Honorable Mention All-Big 12 pick last season, Barr returns as Mizzou's leading scorer and third-leading rebounder. She already enters her senior year among MU's all-time 3-point shooters, and is just 188 points from becoming the 22nd member of the Tigers' 1,000-point club. The 2002 Third-Team Academic All-American is within reach of finishing her career as Missouri's all-time assist leader, and if it ended today, her 79.4-percent accuracy from the free-throw line would be just shy of the best ever at Mizzou.
"Kerensa has a good feel for what we want to be able to accomplish," says Stein. "She's a very intelligent player, and she has a better understanding this year of what is needed to be a total team player. She's a tremendous competitor and a very poor loser, and I don't fault her for that. She's worked really hard on her game every year.
Junior forward Evan Unrau (Fort Collins, Colo.) joined Barr in earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 last season after nearly averaging a double-double for the season. Her 12.4 points per game were second among Tigers only to Barr, and her team-leading 8.1 rebounds per game were fourth in the entire Big 12. Unrau broke the ring finger on her right hand in the final two weeks of last season, which hampered her down the stretch. She played the last three games of the season left-handed, and displayed a level of versatility that Stein will look to utilize this season.
 Melanie Fisher was second on the team in rebounding and fourth in scoring last year. |
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"Evan is shouldering a lot more of the load and wanting that responsibility this season. We could play her anywhere from the '2' [position] through the '5' depending on what we're looking for. It's great that she can play any of those positions, because it makes the offense better." Unrau's court sense is even more impressive when considering that with the four positions she could end up playing at any point this season, she'll be responsible for understanding four times as much information as the other players.
In her first season with the Tigers, junior forward/center Melanie Fisher (St. Louis, Mo.) blossomed quickly in Missouri's system, finishing second in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and fourth in scoring (6.4 ppg) on the team. Look for a breakout season from Fisher; the coaching staff will be depending on her versatility in the low post at both ends of the court, and will also look for her to join Barr and Unrau in shouldering leadership roles. "Melanie is probably the best out of the bunch at leading in a way that's not offensive to the others, but still demanding."
Junior guard Tracy Lozier (Leawood, Kan.) could be an early beneficiary of the occasions where Stein may juggle the lineup. A starter of seven games last season, Lozier logged the most minutes of any reserve last season, and this year has shown signs of leadership in the early-going. Her excellent defensive skills will get her plenty of playing time; in addition, now that the Tigers have additional offensive help, the pressure to take the open shot has diminished, which is allowing Lozier to be patient and take her shot when comfortable.
Senior forward Wannette Smith (Overland Park, Kan.) will continue to bring versatility to the Tigers' offensive game. As a player with good speed for her position, Smith will be relied upon for her defense as well as her finesse around the basket.
 Lauren Podratz will be relied upon to utilize her court sense and also to find the open jumper. |
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An offseason bout of mononucleosis saddled sophomore guard Lauren Podratz (Maple Grove, Minn.) for most of the summer, but she has recovered quite well and is nearly back to full-season shape just a few weeks into the practice season. Her ball-handling skills have improved, and her communicative nature - a strength in Stein's philosophy - is serving the team well.
While most of Stein's team was either recovering from the previous season or participating in offseason conditioning workouts last spring, sophomore guard Angie Carter (Longview, Texas) was sprinting and jumping on Head Coach Rick McGuire's track team. Her athleticism served her well there, and it is transferring back to the court this fall: Carter's vertical jump has increased an incredible four inches to 31". Her defensive tenacity and quickness will be key to the Tigers' success while she's on the floor, as will her ability to stay under control on offense.
Junior forward Terianne Wolford (Nixa, Mo.) saw action in 26 of Mizzou's 29 games, and started four contests. She has worked hard in the offseason with her ball-handling and shooting, and defensively has been getting in the faces of her opponents this fall.
Sophomore center Megan Roney (Independence, Mo.) is continuing to utilize her ability to alter shots and position herself well defensively. She took advantage of her limited playing time last year: In her 80 minutes on the court spanning 18 games, she snared at least one rebound in 13 of them.
 Charliss Ridley (left) and MyEsha Perkins are two new transfers into the Tiger program this year. |
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Five newcomers join the Tigers this season: one Division I transfer, two junior-college transfers, and two prep standouts.
Sophomore forward Charliss Ridley (Wheaton, Ill.) is now eligible after sitting out last year under NCAA rules following her transfer from Indiana. Ridley practiced with the Tigers last year, making her familiar with the returners and Coach Stein's system. She will be a versatile presence for the Tigers, and has shown a lot of potential.
Junior forward Stretch James (Columbus, Ohio) comes to the Tigers after a stellar junior-college career at Tyler [Texas] JC. She earned Kodak JUCO All-America honors and was the Region XIV Player of the Year following a sophomore season in which she averaged 18.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. James inevitably finds her way to the basket, and also is a constant presence defensively and on the glass.
 Stretch James (right) and Cherice Mack are two players the Tigers will look to feed in the post this year. |
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 LaToya Bond brings her smooth jumper to the Mizzou backcourt from Coach Stein's home state of Illinois. |
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Six-foot-two center Cherice Mack (St. Charles, Mo.) possesses great hands, a good power game, and runs the floor well for her size. She averaged 23.5 points and 9.7 rebounds as a prep senior.
Stein's message to the newcomers goes for the rest of the team as well: "Take care of the ball and play defense. If they're doing that, they'll play a lot."
THE SCHEDULE
After a pair of exhibition games (Sunday, Nov. 10, vs. Basketball Travelers, and Friday, Nov. 15, vs. Truman State), the Tigers begin their fifth campaign under Stein's guidance with a trip to Southwest Missouri State on Saturday, Nov. 23. Mizzou beat the Lady Bears, who were coming off a trip to the 2001 Final Four, by a 61-57 count in Columbia last season. Missouri's home opener is then set for Tuesday, Nov. 26, against Bradley, another Missouri Valley Conference member.
With the Tigers just two wins shy of recording the program's 500th all-time victory, milestone-makers might look to Thanksgiving weekend if the Tigers fail to defeat both of their first two challenging opponents. That weekend, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Mizzou plays SMU and either Louisiana-Lafayette or host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Flint Hills Islander Classic.
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A total of nine teams that advanced to last season's NCAA Tournament are on Mizzou's 2002-03 schedule.
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The last two games of December find Mizzou playing Big 10 members Illinois (in St. Louis' Savvis Center for the traditional Braggin' Rights Game on Saturday, Dec. 21) and at Iowa, which advanced to the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament.
Highlighting the Big 12 schedule are home games with Texas (Saturday, Jan. 11) and a Colorado contest that will be televised live by FOX Sports Net on Sunday, Feb. 2. The Tigers have one other regular-season game that will be shown by FSN, when Missouri plays at Kansas on Saturday, Feb. 15. Three additional games - home dates vs. Saint Louis, Nebraska and Kansas - will be televised statewide by FOX Sports Midwest under the auspices of the Mizzou Sports Network.
"We have a good mix of games in the non-conference season that will allow us to prepare for play in the toughest conference in the country," says Stein. "We play a number of top-notch opponents. We have to be ready for every game; we can't take anyone on our schedule lightly."
