Feb. 14, 2006
Normal, Ill. -
Of all the wacky things that have happened in Missouri Valley Conference basketball this season, maybe the most surprising is the improvement of the Wichita State Shocker women's basketball team. The Shockers are the next foe for Illinois State, as the teams meet in a 7 p.m. Friday game at Koch Arena in Wichita.
Coach Jane Albright's Shockers 13-9 overall, 6-7 in the Valley, won just two Valley games last season and were pegged to finish ninth in the preseason poll. Now, they are leading a pack of five teams battling for spots in the middle of the league standings. Redbird coach Robin Pingeton knows WSU's success is no accident--the Shockers have talent and Albright has put the pieces together.
"Jane has done a great job," said Pingeton. "They have some tremendous, athletic players, with a strong inside game and kids who can hit the three on the perimeter."
Albright has 2005 Valley Freshman of the Year Kiki Stephens and an improving junior center, Antionette Wells, among three regulars returning from last year. She has added Toledo transfer Lexee McDonnell, a three-point shooter, plus freshmen point guard Whitney Rice, forward Daria Frazier and post player Marcy Sudbeck to an improving mix on the court. The Shockers are 10-2 at home, losing only to Northern Iowa by seven and Drake by one point.
"It's so hard to get wins on the road in this conference," said Pingeton, whose Redbirds are 9-12 overall, 4-8 in the Valley, but could go home in fifth place with a couple of road wins.
The battle on the boards will feature the 6-foot-4 Wells, the Valley's leading rebounder, and ISU's 6-foot-2 Holly Hallstrom, who has been right behind Wells in league rebounding nearly all year. Pingeton appreciated Hallstrom's 18-rebound effort in a 66-51 win Sunday over Bradley. The 18 rebounds were the most by a Redbird player since 1992.
"As a coach, I see how much potential she has," said Pingeton. "She has a tremendous ability to track the ball and she has great jumping ability. She still has so much potential ahead of her. Holly is a great kid who works extremely hard."
The Hallstrom-Wells match-up isn't the only interesting one between the `Birds and Shockers. ISU's Kristi Cirone and WSU's Whitney Rice square-off at point guard. Although Cirone ranks among the Valley's top 10 in seven categories, Rice has slipped ahead of Cirone in assists. WSU's top offensive weapon is Stephens, who averages 14.2 points per game and can create her own shots with power and athleticism. The Redbirds' Megan McCracken, who broke out of a shooting slump by scoring nine points in 75 seconds Sunday against Bradley, is a Redbird scoring weapon on the perimeter.
Pingeton knows McCracken has an injured finger on her shooting hand, but also knows her junior guard doesn't consider that an issue.
"Megan won't accept excuses," said Pingeton. "She struggled from the field (in previous games), but she has stayed the course and I give her credit. She continues to put in long hours in the gym, working on her shot."
In the Redbirds' 66-52 win over the Shockers at Redbird Arena, Illinois State's defense dictated the tempo while Hallstrom (12 rebounds) and Lori Trumblee (10 points, 11 rebounds) teamed up on the boards and Amber Shelton's 17 points led ISU offensively. Cirone's Redbird Arena record eight steals helped keep the Shockers turnover-prone through much of the game. Albright believes her team is recognizing the right shots better, but the `Birds are tough to plan for because ISU has diverse weapons.
"We're learning the difference between a good shot and a great shot. Our guard play has improved as well; they realize it's not just a matter of getting the ball to Antionette and Kiki," said Albright. "I think Robin does a great job of knowing her personnel; the shooters shoot, the penetrators penetrate and the rebounders rebound. When we played them last time, we had trouble with their (defensive) traps. They are hard to prepare for defensively because there's no one player you can leave open. You can't leave anybody."
The Redbirds move on to Missouri State for a 2:05 p.m. Sunday game to wrap up the road trip.
