Lady Tigers eager for season, fresh start
By: Joseph Russell
Issue date: 9/19/09 Section: Sports
This year's University of Memphis women's basketball roster has undergone somewhat of a makeover from last year's squad to now. Second-year coach Melissa McFerrin has several new players that will see plenty of playing time in 2009-2010.
Last season, the Lady Tigers finished the season with a 12-18 record and lost in the first round of the Conference USA tournament to Marshall. Those 12 wins were the most for a Lady Tiger team since the 2004-05 season when they finished 13-16 under former coach Blair Savage.
McFerrin, a former assistant on a Minnesota team that went to the Final Four and an assistant for the WNBA's New York Liberty, said that she and her staff will look to bring a championship level attitude to the program. That's one reason the Lady Tigers saw such improvement last season, McFerrin said.
However, a pair of key players are gone from last year's team. Paris Leonard, who led the Tigers in scoring at 16.2 points per game, and Ashley Thornton, who averaged 10.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, leave vacancies for McFerrin to fill. Leonard was a second team All-Conference USA selection while Thornton led the Lady Tigers in rebounding for three consecutive years.
Though those two have now departed, McFerrin is confident someone will step up and fill the void.
"We've got 12 players to choose from to fill that gap, and every single one of them has ability," she said.
The second-year coach is looking at filling the gaps from a positional perspective.
"We have high hopes at the guard spot with LaToya Bullard and Brittany Carter," she said. "They're the ones who are showing leadership and ability the most readily. I am confident that the hole left by Paris Leonard will be filled."
Other guards that can expect to get playing time this year are Chatia Kelsey, Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir and Ramses Lonlack, who played significant minutes last year.
Abdul-Qaadir, a freshman from Mass., broke the Massachusetts state scoring record (boys and girls) as she scored 3,070 points over the course of her varsity career, averaging 42.0 points per game her senior season. Her play in her final season garnered her a spot in the Michael T. White All-America Game in Atlanta.
Already expecting a smooth transition from players assuming guard roles, McFerrin seemed equally as confident about filling the vacated spot at forward.
"Ashley Thornton was certainly a great rebounder and a great forward," McFerrin said. "We feel good that Taylor Mumphrey, Starkitscha Higgins, Nicole Dickson and Ashley Robinson will develop into solid forwards and fill the gap that Ashley left."
With all the new faces on this Lady Tiger team, fans may expect a slow start to the season. However, Lonlack assured Tiger fans that the new players are blending well into the system and that fans can expect an improvement from last season.
"We've seen video of them and practiced a little with them so far," Lonlack said. "But now we're going full speed and seeing what each other can do, and I can say that I'm confident that we will win more than 12 games this season."
Last season, the Lady Tigers finished the season with a 12-18 record and lost in the first round of the Conference USA tournament to Marshall. Those 12 wins were the most for a Lady Tiger team since the 2004-05 season when they finished 13-16 under former coach Blair Savage.
McFerrin, a former assistant on a Minnesota team that went to the Final Four and an assistant for the WNBA's New York Liberty, said that she and her staff will look to bring a championship level attitude to the program. That's one reason the Lady Tigers saw such improvement last season, McFerrin said.
However, a pair of key players are gone from last year's team. Paris Leonard, who led the Tigers in scoring at 16.2 points per game, and Ashley Thornton, who averaged 10.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, leave vacancies for McFerrin to fill. Leonard was a second team All-Conference USA selection while Thornton led the Lady Tigers in rebounding for three consecutive years.
Though those two have now departed, McFerrin is confident someone will step up and fill the void.
"We've got 12 players to choose from to fill that gap, and every single one of them has ability," she said.
The second-year coach is looking at filling the gaps from a positional perspective.
"We have high hopes at the guard spot with LaToya Bullard and Brittany Carter," she said. "They're the ones who are showing leadership and ability the most readily. I am confident that the hole left by Paris Leonard will be filled."
Other guards that can expect to get playing time this year are Chatia Kelsey, Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir and Ramses Lonlack, who played significant minutes last year.
Abdul-Qaadir, a freshman from Mass., broke the Massachusetts state scoring record (boys and girls) as she scored 3,070 points over the course of her varsity career, averaging 42.0 points per game her senior season. Her play in her final season garnered her a spot in the Michael T. White All-America Game in Atlanta.
Already expecting a smooth transition from players assuming guard roles, McFerrin seemed equally as confident about filling the vacated spot at forward.
"Ashley Thornton was certainly a great rebounder and a great forward," McFerrin said. "We feel good that Taylor Mumphrey, Starkitscha Higgins, Nicole Dickson and Ashley Robinson will develop into solid forwards and fill the gap that Ashley left."
With all the new faces on this Lady Tiger team, fans may expect a slow start to the season. However, Lonlack assured Tiger fans that the new players are blending well into the system and that fans can expect an improvement from last season.
"We've seen video of them and practiced a little with them so far," Lonlack said. "But now we're going full speed and seeing what each other can do, and I can say that I'm confident that we will win more than 12 games this season."