B e
Lady Bears
r B a s
/ coaching staff / administration /
a e
Review
k t
/
b
records
l
/ opponents
a l
www.MissouriStateBears.com
y
There are many unknowns heading into the Missouri Valley Conference this season, with several new coaches in the league and no clear-cut favorite. Illinois State, which finished second in 2012 and provided the biggest threat to the Lady Bears’ title hopes as the season progressed, loses one first-team all-MVC guard (Katie Broadway) and returns another (Jamie Russell) from last year’s WNIT squad. In all, the Redbirds return 10 letterwinners from a team that ranked among the nation’s best from 3-point land last season. Wichita State is similar to the Redbirds in that it remains relatively intact minus
d
The Valley
Aly Stock
a
The Lady Bears will once again face a challenging non-conference schedule that will both prepare them for the MVC schedule as well as build a resume for postseason consideration. The non-league schedule itself features the possibility of playing three teams with an RPI of 50 or better and four NCAA Tournament squads with seven of the 12 making the postseason a year ago. The Lady Bears take on BCS foes Oklahoma State, Missouri and Iowa, with the potential for two more in Louisville and either Oregon State or Mississippi State at the Hardwood Tournament of Hope in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Nov. 20-22). Missouri State also takes on 2012 NCAA team Arkansas-Little Rock on the road, hosts 2012 WNIT squad Oral Roberts, plays a road game against intra-state rival Southeast Missouri State, and hosts Northern Kentucky and Coppin State. “Without question, our non-conference is going to prepare us for The Valley,” Milleson said. “Once that rolls around I think this group, with the freshmen mixed in, is going to be able to compete.” With the addition of the Missouri Valley Conference schedule, the Lady Bears will have a total of 19 games against 14 teams that participated in a postseason tournament in 2011-12. The Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Championship will once again be held at The Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo. from March 14-17, 2013.
Whitney Edie
L
The Schedule
the loss of MVC Defensive Player of the Year Haleigh Lankster. The Shockers bring back do-it-all guard Jessica Diamond as well as post players Chynna Turner and Jazimen Gordon to anchor a roster that will once again play a physical, grind-it-out style. WSU won 20 games last year and played in the WNIT. Creighton served as the MVC’s NCAA Tournament representative last season after winning the league tournament, and returns all but one letterwinner from that club. First-team all-Valley guard Carli Tritz will lead the Bluejays and teams up with all-conference forward Sarah Nelson to make arguably the league’s top insideoutside tandem. UNI could be the wild card in the conference race as it returns 2011 MVC Player of the Year Jacqui Kalin for a sixth season of eligibility after an ACL tear last year. The Panthers will be without three veterans starters from last year’s club that went 1915 and played in the finals of the Women’s Basketball Invitational. Indiana State, which finished sixth in last year’s MVC race and 15-16 overall, enters this year without three impact seniors in Shannon Thomas, Brittany Schoen and Deja Mattox. The Sycamores will be young, with just one senior and two juniors among the 12 players on the roster. Drake, which joined UNI and Indiana State in the league’s three-way tie for fifth last year, looks to build on the momentum of its MVC title game run last year, but will have to do so without the services of 2012 MVC Player of the Year Rachael Hackbarth. The Bulldogs return three starters for new coach Jennie Baranczyk. Like Drake, Bradley will also be under new leadership as Mike Brooks takes the reins of the BU program. Brooks will have four talented guards in Kelsey Budd, Shronda Butts, Catie O’Leary and Katie Yohn at his disposal, and all played key roles in the Braves winning 18 games last season and playing in the WBI despite finishing eighth in the regular season, a tribute to the MVC’s depth. Southern Illinois will rely heavily on sophomore guard Cartaesha Macklin, the reigning MVC Freshman of the Year after putting up 16.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a rookie. The Salukis return four starters from a club that improved by six games in the win column from 2010-11 to last season. Evansville brings back three starters and eight letterwinner from last season’s 5-25 club as second-year head coach Oties Epps looks to ride the strength of four seniors to improve the Purple Aces’ standing in 201213.
outlook Missouri State /
and shoot. The Euless, Texas, native rated highly on ESPN’s national recruiting site Hoopgurlz.com. Hillyer was a prolific shot-blocker in high school with 359 career stuffs to her credit. She also possesses a good shooting touch, and her effort day in and day out serves as a valuable asset for the Lady Bears.
Season Outlook
7