 "Photo: Ron Harper / Special to The South End")
The Wayne State Women’s basketball team hasn’t won a game since last year. Sure, that may only be a couple weeks past, but with the three games they dropped to start off 2010, including Saturday’s 70-56 setback at Hillsdale, it’s sunk their record to a GLIAC worst 2-11 overall.
On Nov. 28, it appeared as if they were on the right track by scoring a big time win over then 15th ranked Northern Kentucky. But with a winless conference record of 0-8, the team has seen their aspirations of making the conference playoffs nearly dashed away before the midway point. It’s shaping up to being a season that’s begging to end sooner rather than later. But as a team, they can’t afford to waste a single moment on the court together.
The key to this season is to rebuild. Taking these lumps is part of the rebuilding process. The 10 new faces on the roster haven’t quite gelled yet. While the players agree that they get along very well off the court, it’s difficulties on the court that create problems.
The Warriors need to switch to desperation mode in fixing two problems that have plagued them all season: foul trouble and playing the first half.
The foul trouble does not extend to the idea that one player gets in foul trouble and they have no one else to turn to, as was the case last year. This time, it’s a problem because its helping the opposition practically live at the free throw line. So far, WSU has taken 151 free throws on the season, compared to 336 taken by their opponents.
Not only that, but the opposition has made 250. They have made more free throws than WSU has taken. Giving away so many points completely negates the fact that WSU holds the edge against their opponents in blocks (34-39) and steals (119-98) and committing less turnovers (220-232). All those points that they’ve manage to stop, they eventually give them back one endless march to the free throw line at a time.
The issue magnifies when their pre-halftime performance is taken into consideration. In their 13 games, the score has been in WSU’s favor only once at halftime. With the amount of fouling the team does, the team just creates a deeper and deeper hole for them to get out off in the second half.
It may not sound sensible, but the scoreboard shouldn’t be their main focus. It’s become a need to develop the team for next year. Winning still matters, but with the wins coming so far and in between, preparation for next year should start rising on the all important to-do list.
Despite her best efforts, the lone senior Brooke Bowers has put together a great season that will get overshadowed by a mound of losses. In a 10-point loss to Northern Michigan on Dec. 17, Bowers drained all six of her three point attempts.
The flashes of a good team were there for the Warriors. No team has looked safe when they decide to pressure the ball and play defense the full 94 feet of the court. They’ve shown that their calling card could be forcing the issue and making teams play to their speed.
With 14 conference games left, the Warriors still have time to pick up some wins and even play spoiler to someone else’s season. But with the season shaping up the way it is, the goal of making the playoffs seems a ton more realistic next year.
1 comments