Melissa McFerrin has big goals for her team this season. The University of Memphis women's basketball coach wants to make a number of changes, ranging from winning NCAA titles to rebuilding the team.
By: Dan Gurley
Issue date: 11/4/08 Section: Sports
But where Leonard really makes her mark is on the defensive end. The 5-foot-8 guard averaged 4.4 rebounds per game while recording 59 steals, the 11th highest in a single season for a Tiger. She will be the one running McFerrin's high-octane offense this season.
Senior Ashley Thornton was the anchor in the middle for the Lady Tigers last season, leading the team in rebounding for the second straight season at 7.2 boards per game. She averaged 9.2 points per game, scoring in double-digits in six of the Tigers first eight games.
Tying a career-high in scoring last season against Tennessee State with 22, she also put up 18 points and 12 rebounds against Tennessee Tech last season. The 6-foot-0 forward will be sure to hit the glass again this season while contributing on the scoring end.
Also returning this season is junior guard Latoya Bullard. An assist-master last season, she led the team with 127 assists, despite missing the first seven games due to NCAA transfer rules. Bullard came only 20 assists shy of breaking into the top ten all-time list for assists in a season.
A constant threat to score in double-digits each game, Bullard averaged 10 points per game last season, including a career high 27 points in the C-USA tournament against Tulsa. She's a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, connecting on 31 percent of her tries, and will be an important part of the Lady Tiger offense this season.
But these veteran Tigers will have to adapt to McFerrin's up-tempo offense this season.
The new coach said she believes the players will adjust to the system just fine to play a fast brand of basketball.
"The faster we play, the better. We're going to recruit kids that can play fast, we've got a system that we play fast," she said. "We do not, however, play out of control. We'll be a team that runs - make, miss, turnover, steal. We're going to be a team that keeps a lot of pressure on the defense because of the tempo at which we are going to play. We are not run and gun, we will still value the basketball and we will take very good shots, but we will also be a team again where tempo between the circles is going to be incredibly important."
And after last season's disappointing 10-20 finish, the girls will be playing to put the Lady Tigers back on the map.
Senior Ashley Thornton was the anchor in the middle for the Lady Tigers last season, leading the team in rebounding for the second straight season at 7.2 boards per game. She averaged 9.2 points per game, scoring in double-digits in six of the Tigers first eight games.
Tying a career-high in scoring last season against Tennessee State with 22, she also put up 18 points and 12 rebounds against Tennessee Tech last season. The 6-foot-0 forward will be sure to hit the glass again this season while contributing on the scoring end.
Also returning this season is junior guard Latoya Bullard. An assist-master last season, she led the team with 127 assists, despite missing the first seven games due to NCAA transfer rules. Bullard came only 20 assists shy of breaking into the top ten all-time list for assists in a season.
A constant threat to score in double-digits each game, Bullard averaged 10 points per game last season, including a career high 27 points in the C-USA tournament against Tulsa. She's a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, connecting on 31 percent of her tries, and will be an important part of the Lady Tiger offense this season.
But these veteran Tigers will have to adapt to McFerrin's up-tempo offense this season.
The new coach said she believes the players will adjust to the system just fine to play a fast brand of basketball.
"The faster we play, the better. We're going to recruit kids that can play fast, we've got a system that we play fast," she said. "We do not, however, play out of control. We'll be a team that runs - make, miss, turnover, steal. We're going to be a team that keeps a lot of pressure on the defense because of the tempo at which we are going to play. We are not run and gun, we will still value the basketball and we will take very good shots, but we will also be a team again where tempo between the circles is going to be incredibly important."
And after last season's disappointing 10-20 finish, the girls will be playing to put the Lady Tigers back on the map.