2008 Woodie Awards
Scrimmage shows improvement needed on defense, rebounds
By: Scott White and Jon Batuello
Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
The women's basketball team had its first opportunity to guage its chances of repeating as national champions Saturday in a preseason scrimmage against St. Josephs College in Rensselaer, Ind.
The scrimmage rules dictated the teams would play three halves of 20 minutes each, with a running clock in the last half. This gave the teams a chance to run their offensive and defensive sets and get a lot of players involved.
"I thought it went pretty well for where we are in the season," said senior Gretchen Haehl. "We are relatively young and I think the freshmen did a good job of just playing."
Not everything went perfectly for the Tigers, though. The scrimmage gave them a few different areas to focus on the in the next few days of practice before their season opener next Friday.
"Definitely saw some things we could improve on ... defensive stance and helpside, so on the defensive end having ball pressure and being in a stance and having the helpside," said senior Gwen Haehl.
It wasn't just defensively the team found areas where they look to improve, though.
"Rebounding and boxing out is a huge thing we are kind of lacking right now," Gretchen Haehl said. "But at the same time ... we weren't a good rebounding team at the beginning of last year so I think we are at similar levels."
For now the team will take these areas and work to improve on them in the next few weeks. Gretchen Haehl said it will likely be a slow transition at the beginning of this year, but that if practices begin more competitive the team will get going shortly.
The team will build this competiveness from its three returning starters in sophomore forward Emily Marshall, junior guard Cassie Pruzin and senior guard Kalei Lowes. Those three combined for 21 points a game last season and will likely be asked for even larger contributions this season.
The Tigers will begin their road to a repeat next weekend in the Amy Hasbrook Memorial Tipoff Tournament, to be held in the Lilly Center. They will open play against Olivet Nazarene University in the first round on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The scrimmage rules dictated the teams would play three halves of 20 minutes each, with a running clock in the last half. This gave the teams a chance to run their offensive and defensive sets and get a lot of players involved.
"I thought it went pretty well for where we are in the season," said senior Gretchen Haehl. "We are relatively young and I think the freshmen did a good job of just playing."
Not everything went perfectly for the Tigers, though. The scrimmage gave them a few different areas to focus on the in the next few days of practice before their season opener next Friday.
"Definitely saw some things we could improve on ... defensive stance and helpside, so on the defensive end having ball pressure and being in a stance and having the helpside," said senior Gwen Haehl.
It wasn't just defensively the team found areas where they look to improve, though.
"Rebounding and boxing out is a huge thing we are kind of lacking right now," Gretchen Haehl said. "But at the same time ... we weren't a good rebounding team at the beginning of last year so I think we are at similar levels."
For now the team will take these areas and work to improve on them in the next few weeks. Gretchen Haehl said it will likely be a slow transition at the beginning of this year, but that if practices begin more competitive the team will get going shortly.
The team will build this competiveness from its three returning starters in sophomore forward Emily Marshall, junior guard Cassie Pruzin and senior guard Kalei Lowes. Those three combined for 21 points a game last season and will likely be asked for even larger contributions this season.
The Tigers will begin their road to a repeat next weekend in the Amy Hasbrook Memorial Tipoff Tournament, to be held in the Lilly Center. They will open play against Olivet Nazarene University in the first round on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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