Basketball 2015

2 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

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Basketball Preview | November 2015 | 3

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Contents

4-5 A look forward and 18-19 Feature: a look back at the Lady Sophomore guard Liza Fruendt Bears 20-21 Leadership on and off the court

6-7 Previewing and reviewing the men’s basketball team 8-9 Key games you should be watching

22-23 Meet the newcomers from both basketball programs

10-11 Staff sports predictions

24-25 Mythbusters: The sophomore slump

12-13 Team schedules

26-27 PHOTOS

14-15 A timeline of great coaches

28-29 What goes into scheduling?

16-17 Coach Lusk’s career before MSU

30 Arch Madness

Standard staff Editorial staff Eli Wohlenhaus Editor-in-Chief Peyson Shields Managing Editor Emily McTavish Photo Editor Nicole Roberts News Editor Rebecca Biundo Design Editor

Bart Anders Sports Editor Kayla Seabaugh Copy Editor Taylor Balleau Copy Editor Courtney Smith Copy Editor Reporters/Photographers Keenan Andrea Columnist Courtney Cramer Reporter Lacey Curtis Reporter Maddy Cushman Photographer Ben Gilbert Reporter Emma Jones Reporter Emily Joshu Reporter

Eric Knifong Reporter Anita Lumley Reporter Spencer Martin Columnist Sydni Moore Reporter Kristen Stacy Photographer Mike Ursery Reporter Ryan Welch Photographer Brian Wright Reporter Han Zhao Reporter Professional staff Jack Dimond faculty adviser Sandy King ad manager

Basketball Preview 2015 Cover design by Zach LaMarre

Advertising staff Lindsay Daggett sales Tyler Krtek sales Mark Phillips sales Zach LaMarre design Christina Harper office assistant

is published by The Standard, Missouri State University’s student-produced newspaper. The university has not approved and is not responsible for its content, which is produced and edited by The Standard staff.

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4 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

Lady Bears face tough task of living up to high expectations

Team picked to finish first in Missouri Valley Conference preseason coaches poll

File photo/THE STANDARD

Lady Bears tip-off against Southern Illinois at JQH on Jan. 23. Missouri State won 61-57.

By John Robinson Staff Reporter @SaxmanJohn

When it comes to Jekyll and Hydelike performances from athletic teams, there may not be a better textbook case than the 2014-2015 Lady Bears basketball team.

Starting their season on the road — the Lady Bears did not have a single home game in the month of November — they limped to an 0-6 start, not earning their first win until they hosted SIUE. The Lady Bears would go on to lose no more than three games in any month including a month-long winning streak, finishing with an 18-15 record, being the runner-up in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and receiving a bid to play in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

Guards Kenzie Williams and Tyon-

na Snow, seniors in the upcoming 2015-2016 season, took charge leading the team in points, assists and steals while splitting time at the point guard position due to a lack of a true point guard on the roster.

Then junior forward Hillary Chvatal grew into a dominant force in the paint, blocking 24 shots and collecting 235 rebounds while averaging 27 points each game.

There were also contributions from the now sophomore guard Liza Fruendt, who was the third leading scorer on the team as a freshman. Then sophomore guard Lexi Hughes was solid from beyond the arc with the 46 3pointers.

It took the Lady Bears of 2014 half of a season to find their groove, but once they started rolling, they were dominant. Returning four starters from last season along with an underclassmen group entering veteran seasons, the 2015-2016 team could be in for a historic season.

By Eric Knifong Staff Reporter @e_knifong

Missouri State Lady Bears have high expectations for the opening tip of the 2015-16 season. The Lady Bears are the favorites to finish first place in the Missouri Valley Conference this season after ending last season with a trip to the MVC Tournament finals against Wichita State University. The Lady Bears learned how to fight through adversity after starting the season 0-6 but ending the season by winning 10 out of their last 12 games.

The Lady Bears will be tested early in the season with two of their first three games against schools in the Southeastern Conference. First, at home against the University of Missouri and then on the road in Oxford, Mississippi to take on the University of Mississippi.

It does not end there for the Lady Bears, who host Big 12 school Oklahoma State on Nov. 11 before traveling to Estero, Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Lady Bears begin the tournament against Stanford University, a team that has been to the Final Four, four out of the last five seasons and have the possibility of facing one another preseason top 25 team.

The tough nonconference opponents should help the Lady Bears when they reach the conference portion of their schedule by giving them a test of where they are and where they want to be.

“We struggled through our nonconference schedule last year, but finished strong in the regular season,” head coach Kellie Harper said. “As long as we have a good, strong attitude and we come out of the nonconference schedule tough mentally, then I like our chances.”

The ultimate goal for the Lady Bears this season is to make the NCAA Tournament, but they know they have a tough challenge ahead of them. Harper says she is worried about overconfidence in her team coming into the year, but the team knows they have not won anything of substance and should keep motivated throughout the season.

“We just want to live up to our potential because I think we have a lot of potential on this team, so we just work hard every day,” senior guard Kenzie Williams said.

The Lady Bears will be led by their three seniors, Williams, guard Tyonna Snow and forward Hillary Chvatal. Williams and Snow were first and second on the team in scoring last year with 15.4 and 14.6 points per game.

Chvatal ranked fourth on the team u See LADY BEARS, page 5

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Lady Bears

Continued from page 4

in that category with 8.1 points per game, but led the team in shooting percentage at 49 percent while grabbing a team high 7.6 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Liza Fruendt could be in for a breakout season after showing Lady Bears’ fans and the MVC her scoring ability. She ended third on the team after averaging double-digits as a freshman with 10.4 points per game. However, Fruendt knows she has to continue to build her allaround game to help the team.

“Ultimately, that’s going to be the difference this year––if all five of us can guard and rebound,” said Fruendt. “I’ve just been trying hard to do my part and trying to do the best I can just to get better every day at doing that.”

The Lady Bears played last season without a true point guard for the most part, but two recruits could fill that hole. Freshmen Riley Rose and Danielle Gitzen should see extensive time on the court this season with their ability to run an offense. Both girls should bring defense to the position, with Rose averaging 4 steals per game and Gitzen averaging

3.5. They will bring different styles of play to the court when they come into the game, but their teammates know there will be a learning curve.

Snow provided her insight when asked how she can help lead her younger teammates.

“Just standing behind them when they’re having a rough game or going through a rough game because nobody’s games are going to be 100 percent,” she said.

The talking is over (for now) as the Lady Bears get ready to begin a season filled with hope, high expectations and a stomach full of butterflies. Cold weather and leaves falling from the trees can only signal one thing –– basketball.

The Lady Bears tip off the regular season on Nov. 13 at 7:05 p.m. against MU at JQH Arena. However, before the regular season gets going, the Lady Bears have two exhibition games to get them ready for the start of the season. The last exhibition game is Nov. 8 at 2:05 p.m. at JQH Arena against Quincy.

File Photo/THE STANDARD

Senior guard Kenzie Williams looks to score against Bradley on Feb. 13. The Lady Bears won 69-61.

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The Standard

Bears prepared to make 180-degree turn from last season

File photo by Maddy Cushman/THE STANDARD

Former Bear and current graduate manager Keith Pickens game plans with senior forward Camyn Boone (left) and junior guard Austin Ruder (right).

Despite last season’s hype, things did not go the Bears’ way. It’s a new season.

By Bart Anders Sports Editor @bartanders42

On a gray and windy Thursday this past March, the Missouri State men’s basketball team played their final game of the season: an Arch Madness play-in game loss in St. Louis, Missouri.

To add insult to injury, MSU lost 55-48 to a Southern Illinois team led by ex-Bears’ coach Barry Hinson. For most fans, it looked like a step back, especially when the team ended the season with an 11-20 record.

If the same team were to return this season to suit up for the Bears, it’s easy to see why fans might be pessimistic. Add the loss of Marcus Marshall mid-season and senior Christian Kirk to graduation at the end of the year, and the attitude doesn’t get any brighter.

But, the good news for the Bears is, this year’s roster is completely different, something not many teams in the country would be excited about.

Two of the three freshmen newcomers, guards Jarred Dixon and Ryan Kreklow, played on the Kansas City Run GMC AAU team together in high school. Both guys will not only bring energy and scoring to the Bears, but also some chemistry which the team lacked through most of last season.

The final freshman, forward Obediah

Church, earned First Team All-State honors in Illinois his senior year at Springfield (Illinois) High School.

Talent isn’t always found at the high school level.

This offseason, head coach Paul Lusk and the Bears were busy finding transfer students that can provide the team with an immediate impact.

It doesn’t take a basketball guru to tell you the Bears need help in the paint and off the boards after getting eaten up inside by bigger opponents all last season.

Lusk’s solution: bring in a rebounding machine from John A. Logan junior college in junior transfer Jordan Martin. Last year for the Volunteers, he averaged 5.1 rebounds a game and blocked 31 shots in helping his team advance to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.

MSU will need his presence down low to give high volume shooters –– like junior guard Austin Ruder –– more opportunities for second-chance points.

Ruder will be joined by fellow returning starter Dorrian Williams, a senior point guard, in the backcourt, but could very well split time with junior transfer guard Dequon Miller as the season unfolds.

Last season, Williams led the Bears in u See BEARS, page 7

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File photo/THE  STANDARD

Senior guard Dorrian Williams goes for a layup against SIU at the MVC Tournament in St. Louis in March.

Bears

Continued from page 6

both assists (128) and steals (44), but lacked aggressiveness on offense. Both he and Ruder will need to improve on their footwork and separation from defenders in order for the Bears to score more points.

The Missouri Valley Conference has much less hope for MSU than they did after picking the Bears to finish third last season in the preseason polls. This year, the Bears are picked to finish third from the bottom in the MVC while powerhouse Wichita State was voted preseason favorite for the third-straight preseason poll.

The Bears will get a chance to prove voters wrong in the first big game of the season

as they take on the Cowboys of Oklahoma State on Dec. 5 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. After the big-time matchup with the Pokes, the Bears will have five winnable games in a row before they take on in-conference rival Illinois State on Dec. 30.

With a powerful start, the Bears could definitely flip the script on the negative narratives already swirling around them, but new teammates take time to jell together.

In all honesty, this team has a higher ceiling than last year’s squad, but how bad they want to come together and win will have to come from veteran leaders that have stuck with the program through thick and thin.

8 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

Top 10 key basketball games Breaking down this season’s must-watch games

File photo/THE STANDARD

By Eli Wohlenhaus Editor-in-chief @eliwohlenhaus

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Missouri State face tough schedules this season, which means a lot of marquee matchups and potential upset bids. Regardless of how each team finishes in the win/loss column, each has an opportunity at a higherthan-usual ratings percentage index (RPI).

So, let’s list my top five games for each MO State team.

Bears @ Oral Roberts, Nov. 13, 7 p.m.

If you are looking at the Bears’ schedule, then you will notice that there are games with much more notable opponents than this one.

However, this is the regular season opener against an evenly matched program who MSU faced last season twice, and will also face twice this season. In last year’s matchups, both the Golden Eagles and the Bears won at home. To set the tone and to prove that last year’s mess of a season is behind them, MSU has to go on the road and take this win. @ Oklahoma State, Dec. 5, 2:30 p.m.

Oklahoma State consistently offers the Bears the chance to come play in Stillwater, and one of these times MSU is going to take a win away from the Big 12 Conference member. This isn’t necessarily the year it will happen, but with it being senior guard Dorrian Williams’ most looked-forward-to matchup of the season, MSU can make it competitive and then maybe eventually get the Cowboys to come to JQH Arena. vs. Tulsa, Dec. 13, 2:05 p.m.

Another team from the state of Oklahoma? Yes. Tulsa comes from the American Athletic Conference, which is the most notable conference on the Bears’ home schedule. Besides that, it is a great matchup and a great contract for both teams to have as the two programs have played one another for several straight seasons, alternating which team hosts.

@ Loyola, Jan. 9, 3:00 p.m.

Loyola has only been in the Missouri Valley Conference for two seasons and both seasons they have embarrassed MSU in Chicago. The Ramblers have made serious progress in their short residency in the Missouri Valley Conference, which should not be taken lightly. This is a classic matchup of one team trending downward and another trending upward. The downward-trending Bears are going to have to win this conference game on the road in order to maintain any semblance of success in this especially difficult conference. vs. Illinois State, Jan. 30, 3:05 p.m.

These pesky Redbirds made an unbelievable run at the conference tournament, upsetting Wichita State and very nearly winning the championship versus the Northern Iowa Panthers. They received a berth in the National Invitational Tournament and exited in the second round. ISU is not as strong as it was a season ago and has tough matchups against UNI a week prior and Wichita State a week after the game at JQH. This will be a great opportunity for MSU to nab a tough MVC win at home against a potentially unfocused team.

Lady Bears vs. Missouri, Nov. 13, 7:05 p.m.

Nov. 13 is going to be a huge day for Missouri State basketball. Both teams have big matchups, but this one fortunately comes at home for MSU fans. Last season, these two teams met in Kansas City’s Sprint Center and the Lady Bears came away with the 57-52 victory. With their schedule being tough and this being the regular season opener, MSU has a unique chance to tip things off in the right direction. vs. Oklahoma State, Nov. 23, 7:05 p.m.

Right back at JQH 10 days later, the Lady Bears host a team that annihilated them a season ago on its home court in Stillwater. MSU will need to return the favor as it hosts its second team from a major conference with such a quick turnaround between the two games. @ Arkansas, Dec. 2, 7 p.m.

Head coach Kellie Harper played in the Southeastern Conference in her collegiate u See KEY GAMES, page 9

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Key Games Continued from page 8

career, so she is familiar with the style and feel of these arenas. Unfortunately, she is not playing. Her guidance will have to suffice as she leads her team to Fayetteville in what should be a solid opportunity to strengthen their RPI against a mediocre-power conference team. @ Drake, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.

Fast forward to February where the Lady Bears travel to Des Moines, Iowa to take on the Bulldogs. Last season, MSU was defeated by Drake 94-89 in overtime at Knapp Center. It was a Herculean comeback by the Lady Bears only to see it end in a loss. MSU got Drake back at JQH, yet this season needs to yield different results on the road. The Lady Bears need to establish their rhythm early to pick up the conference road win. vs. Wichita State, Feb. 27, 2:05 p.m.

If any school has been a thorn in the side of MSU, it is Wichita State. On the women’s side, that thorn is close to being completely pulled out. With this late-season matchup coming to Springfield, it is the ideal game for the Lady Bears to not only win, but to get a lot of momentum from heading into the MVC tournament.

Each team is competing in major tournaments during the nonconference season and are likely to face highly-touted teams in each. The men travel to Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Classic, while the Lady Bears will compete in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida.

File photo/THE STANDARD

Growl crowd-surfs at the Bears’ home game against Wichita State.

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The Standard

Staff Predictions: Men’s Basketball

File Photo/ THE  STANDARD

Eli Wohlenhaus @eliwohlenhaus Key game: at Oral Roberts Nov. 13 Upset bid: vs. Tulsa, Dec. 13 Valley finish: 7 Breakout star: Dequon Miller Final record: 16-14

Bart Anders @BartAnders42 Key game: at Valparaiso, Dec. 19 Upset bid: at Indiana St. Jan. 27 Valley finish: 7 Breakout star: Chris Kendrix Final record: 10 - 20

Ben Gilbert @TheGilb24 Key Game: at Bradley, Jan. 16 Upset bid: at Illinois State, Dec. 30 Valley finish: 8 Breakout star: Jordan Martin Final record: 11-19 (7-11)

Eric Knifong @e_knifong Key game: at Illinois State, Dec. 30 Upset bid: at Valparaiso, Dec. 19 Valley finish: 8 Breakout star: Chris Kendrix Final record: 12-18 (7-11)

John Robinson @SaxmanJohn Key game: Illinois State, Dec. 30 Upset bid: vs. Tulsa, Dec. 13 Valley finish: 7 Breakout star: Chris Kendrix Final record: 13-17 (8-10)

Mike Ursery @MikeUrsery Key game: Valparaiso, Dec. 19 Upset bid: at Indiana St. Jan. 27 Valley finish: 7 Breakout star: Dequon Miller Final record: 15-15

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Women’s basketball

Bart Anders @BartAnders42 Key game: vs. Wichita State, Feb. 27 Upset bid: at Arkansas, Dec. 2 Valley finish: 2 Breakout star: Aubrey Buckley Final record: 19-11

Eric Knifong @e_knifong Key game: vs. Missouri, Nov.13 Upset bid: at Ole Miss, Nov. 19 Valley finish: 1 Breakout star: Liza Fruendt Final record: 22-8 (14-4)

Eli Wohlenhaus @eliwohlenhaus Key game: vs. Oklahoma State, Nov. 23 Upset bid: at Arkansas, Dec. 2 Valley finish: 1 Breakout star: Onye Osemenam Final record: 20-10

John Robinson @SaxmanJohn Key game: vs. Drake, Jan. 8 Upset bid: at Arkansas, Dec. 2 Valley finish: 1 Breakout star: Audrey Holt Final record: 24-6 (15-3)

Ben Gilbert @TheGilb24 Key game:vs. Drake, Jan. 8 Upset bid: vs. Oklahoma State, Nov. 23 Valley finish: 1 Breakout star: Riley Rose Final record: 23-7 (15-3)

Mike Ursery @MikeUrsery Key game: vs. Oklahoma State, Nov. 23 Upset bid: at Arkansas, Dec. 2 Valley finish: 1 Breakout star: Onye Osemenam Final record: 23-7

Kristen Stacy/THE STANDARD

Riley Rose attempts a layup against Lyon College on Nov. 2. Rose is a freshman guard.

12 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

No place like The Standard

Lady Bears’ Home Game Schedule 2015-2016 Quincy College

November 8, 2:05 p.m.

University of Missouri

Evansville University January 22, 7 p.m.

November 13, 7:05 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

MidAmerica Nazarene University

Loyola University of Chicago

November 17, 7:05 p.m.

Oklahoma State University November 23, 7:05 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky

December 5, 7:05 p.m.

Oral Roberts University December 12, 7 p.m.

Drake University

January 8, 7:05 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa January 10, 2:05 p.m.

January 24, 7:05 p.m.

February 12, 7:05 p.m.

Bradley University

February 14, 2:05 p.m.

Wichita State University February 27, 2:05 p.m.

Indiana State University March 3, 7:05 p.m.

Illinois State University March 5, 2:05 p.m.

H

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ME

Bears’ Home Game Schedule 2015-2016 William Jewell College

University of Northern Iowa

William Woods University

Wichita State University

Utah State University

Southern Illinois University

December 1, 7:05 p.m.

January 24, 3 p.m.

Indiana University

Illinois State University

December 10, 7:05 p.m.

January 30, 3:05 p.m.

University of Tulsa

Bradley University

December 13, 2:05 p.m.

February 2, 7:05 p.m.

Oral Roberts University

Indiana State University February 13, 3:05 p.m.

November 7, 2:05 p.m.

November 27, 2:05 p.m.

December 16, 7:05 p.m.

January 6, 7:05 p.m.

January 13, 8 p.m.

University Chicago Southeast Missouri State University Loyola February 21, 3 p.m.

December 22, 7:05 p.m.

University of Evansville January 2, 3 p.m.

Drake University

February 24, 7:05 p.m.

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The Standard

Blast from the past: where previous men’s basketball coaches are now

By Bart Anders Sports Editor @bartanders42

Aside from the Power Five conferences, the Missouri Valley is one of the premiere men’s basketball conferences in the country.

Landing a coaching job at one of the schools in the Valley is an opportunity for a coach to win some games, get recognition and live the dream of playing in the NCAA Tournament.

Legendary Bears’ coaches such as Andrew McDonald and Charlie Spoonhour have embraced the job and turned Missouri State into a school recognized for its basketball greatness.

In recent years, the head coaching job’s greatest attraction has become its own worst enemy.

The ability to attain success and gain recognition has left some coaches leaving for jobs at bigger schools, while one still coaches at a familiar university.

File photo/THE STANDARD Here is a look at some past Charlie Spoonhour coached from 1983-1992.

The Bears won 197 games Missouri State head basketball coaches and where they are now. under his direction and went to five NCAA tournaments and three NITs.

Steve Alford

File photo/THE STANDARD

Alford resigning as head coach in 1999.

Why not start with the in the Sweet Sixteen. biggest name first? College basMissouri State basketball ketball legend and former NBA fans shouldn’t take it personal, point guard, Steve Alford though. Alford went on to coach coached the most successful New Mexico and led them to Bears team of all time. their first NCAA tournament Alford coached the Bears victory ever. Then, he left that from 1995-1999 and left MSU job for his current gig at UCLA for the Iowa head coaching job where he has led the Bruins to right after a season in which his five NCAA Tournament appearBears team beat Wisconsin and ances and two Sweet Sixteens.

Tennessee before losing to Duke

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Barry Hinson

Hinson’s nine seasons as the Bears head coach is the longest tenured coach the team has had since Charlie Spoonhour.

Despite having one of the country’s best RPIs in 2000, Hinson was unable to bring the Bears to the NCAA Tournament his first year at the helm.

Over his tenure he brought MSU to four NIT appearances, one of those being a Quarterfinals loss to Louisville in 2006. After the same results year after year, Hinson and MSU parted ways and he went on to become the Director of Men’s Basketball Operations at the University of Kansas.

He remained out of coaching until the Southern Illinois Salukis cam calling in 2012 and he accepted the head coach position.

Currently, Hinson is still coaching at the MVC rival and has yet to make the postseason.

File photo/THE STANDARD

Barry Hinson now coaches at MVC foe, SIU.

File photo/THE STANDARD

Martin led the Bears to two postseason tournaments in just three seasons at MSU.

Cuonzo Martin

Martin’s biggest highlight of his threeyear Missouri State career was coaching the Bears to a CIT Championship over Pacific in 2010, but other than that, he never left much of an impact.

Martin, an ex-NBA forward, led the Bears to a regular season MVC Championship in his final season as coach, but lost to Indiana State in the finals of Arch Madness.

Despite an RPI of 44, the Bears only made the NIT and lost to Miami (Florida) in the second round. Martin left after the season for the head coaching job at Tennessee.

Despite decent success and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the coveted position of Volunteer’s head coach, Martin left that job for Cal after only three seasons where he currently coaches now.

16 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

Lusk is here until 2019, but where was he before Missouri State?

By Ben Gilbert Staff Reporter @TheGilb24

Emily McTavish/THE STANDARD

Coach Lusk addresses the media on Oct. 21 before the start of his fifth season as head coach.

Paul Lusk will enter his fifth season as head basketball coach at Missouri State. The results are mixed with a record of 58-71, but the Southern Illinois graduate has experience under some fantastic Division I coaches on dealing with adversity.

Before coming to MSU, Lusk began his head coaching career at Division III University of Dubuque in Iowa. After that, Lusk became an assistant coach at Purdue University in Indiana. He arrived to West Lafayette in 2004, which was the last season under legendary coach Gene Keady. Keady is Purdue’s winningest coach with 493 wins and is second in conference wins behind Bob Knight.

Purdue went 7-21 that season which was Keady’s worst at Purdue.

“It was a tough year, but he taught us great life lessons beyond winning and losing,” Lusk said. “No one wants to go through that, but it made an impact on me.”

When Keady retired, Lusk stayed on the Purdue coaching staff under

friend Matt Painter. They served together under Keady, and Lusk was an assistant for Painter at Southern Illinois. They compiled a record of 25-5 with a national rank of 15.

Purdue went to five consecutive NCAA Tournaments while Lusk was there before coming to MSU. Lusk talked about how Purdue recruited the right players and rebuilt after the legendary coach.

“We believed in our philosophy of what we were doing on the court and recruiting,” Lusk said. “They weren’t all five-star recruits, but they wanted to be at Purdue.”

Lusk and Painter still remain friends both on and off the floor.

“I have a high opinion of Matt in the coaching profession,” Lusk said.

“When you go through tough times, you have to have the right people with you. The tough times were probably some of the most memorable times.”

The head basketball coach at MSU has had a career full of up and down seasons. If anyone can stay even keeled and continue forward, it is Paul Lusk.

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Lusk has only had one winning season so far with the Bears.

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Lusk’s career 1996-97 Southwestern Illinois

Assistant Coach (19-12)

1999-2002 Missouri Southern

Assistant Coach (71-21)

2002-03 Dubuque (Iowa)

File photo/THE STANDARD

Head Coach (2-23)

2003-04 Southern Illinois

Assistant Coach (25-5)

2004-11 Purdue

Assistant/Associate Head Coach (145-85)

2011-present Missouri State

Head Coach (58-71)

18 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

Liza Fruendt: fluent on offense

By John Robinson Staff Reporter @SaxmanJohn

File photo/THE STANDARD

The sophomore guard looks to build on an impressive rookie season.

For the Lady Bears’ sophomore guard Liza Fruendt, becoming a more versatile player was one of the main goals during the offseason.

The usual subjects are all present when talking with the third-leading scorer of the 2014-2015 Lady Bear season. Fruendt spoke about working on her rebounding and improving her defensive game as any player entering their second year of college basketball would.

The one task Fruendt put upon herself however, hasn’t been constricted to just on the court, it’s a skill Fruendt has been working on everywhere she goes.

“I’m right-handed, so I’ve been working hard in the off season to use my left hand,” Fruendt said. “I just try during everyday activities like opening a door or using a pencil to remember and use my left had to just get more comfortable with it.”

According to Lady Bear head coach Kellie Harper, everything Fruendt has been working on has been an effort to complete her game.

“Everyone knows that Liza can score,” Harper said. “We want her to be more than

that, to evolve and become a complete player.”

Going into her second year, Fruendt said knowing the plays the coaching staff wants to run has helped immensely in being able to improve her fundamentals. With a team with as high of expectations for the upcoming season as the Lady Bears, every possession in a game is vital.

“Every single practice, I’ve been going up to get a rebound and working on getting down and guarding,” Fruendt said. “Those possessions where I get the rebound and guard are only going to help us in the end.”

Fruendt is also looking to use her status as a returning player to help the freshmen adapt to the college game.

“I was in their shoes a year ago,” Fruendt said. “Anything I can do to help get them ready for the season, whether that be helping understand a drill or a play, is something which will save us ‘X’ amount of possessions in the future.”

As for what Fruendt is hoping to accomplish this season, she is hoping the team is finally able to make the next step as well as continually getting better herself.

“We feel like this is our season; we finished last year strong and we know what we u See FRUENDT, page 19

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Fruendt

Continued from page 18

have to do to make this our year,” Fruendt said. “I just want to continue to improve and help my team get there.”

Even if it means occasionally struggling a little bit more in the morning using the left hand to get through the daily routine, it is all worth it to Fruendt if it means improvement on the court.

“I’ve given up trying to straighten my hair left-handed a few times,” Fruendt said. “But when I’m on the court and I’m hitting Emily McTavish/THE STANDARD jumpers with each hand it feels natural, you Fruendt speaks to media about team goals. know, it is worth the hassle.”

Courtesy of Athletics Communication

Liza Fruendt stepped into the point guard role when the team was in need.

By the numbers Games played in: 25 Minutes: 479 Avg. minutes per game: 19.2 Points: 259 Points per game: 10.4 Field goals made: 89 Field goals attempted: 230 Field goal percentage: .387 3-PT field goals made: 41

3-PT field goals attempted: 107 3-PT field goal percentage: .383 Free throws made: 40 Free throws attempted: 49 Field goal percentages: .816 Total rebounds: 66 Assists: 28 Turnovers: 47 Steals: 17

20 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

A small senior class ready to lead the Bears past last season’s misery Locker room issues plagued the team last season, but this class refuses to let that happen

By Eli Wohlenhaus Editor-in-chief @eliwohlenhaus

Leadership and the senior class are oftconsidered synonymous, but has not always been the case with the Missouri State Bears men's basketball team.

This year it has to happen. The Bears are led by fifth year senior guard Dorrian Williams, who is accompanied by forwards Camyn Boone and Loomis Gerring who are both in only their second season with MSU.

Courtesy Athletics Communication

Courtesy Athletics Communication

Courtesy Athletics Communication

Camyn Boone For Boone, it will be a great finale to a successful transition from the junior college game to Division I. Gerring, on the other hand, struggled to find his place on a team that struggled to find its own place.

“Loo, there was more inconsistency with his play up and down,” head coach Paul Lusk said. “(The transition) was too much for him.

He had to try playing two different positions and we need to keep him locked into one position.”

Lusk is confident that Gerring will rise to the occasion, saying that the one thing he has

Loomis Gerring been consistent with is his effort on the floor.

“I think when you work that hard and you bring it every day, you’re going to have success,” Lusk said.

The blame of not getting Gerring going does not fall entirely on him or even the coaching staff.

“There’s no doubt Loomis can guard a guard,” Lusk said. “The problem becomes offensively. He’s more comfortable with his back to the basket.”

On the other hand, Boone stepped into the role of power forward or “four” spot comfort-

Dorrian Williams ably, leading the team in rebounds as well as in scoring in several games. He also led the team in another category, but this one is not positive: personal fouls. Boone brings a lot of upside on defense, but with a lack of size on the roster in the 2014-15 season, he was tasked with covering the opponent’s biggest man and just didn’t have the height to contain the conference’s centers.

This coming season, Boone will have a chance to guard the four more often than the u See SENIORS, page 21

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Seniors Continued from page 20

center because of added depth for MSU. Because of that, Boone has worked on his offense this offseason.

“Cam has worked in the offseason to have the ability to make a 10- to 12-footer,” Lusk said.

If Boone can develop his range and keep his hands up and not on, then that should allow Gerring to spend more time at the small forward or wing position. Lusk said Gerring can shoot three pointers well and looks to utilize that ability.

Williams enters his fifth season with the program and is the only man left from Lusk’s original roster when he took the head coaching job. He’s seen teammates graduate and friends transfer, but his heart and his point guarding have remained at MSU. “For me, it was one of those things that I am not finished here yet,” Williams said. “I have some things I want to accomplish here.”

Lusk and Williams both said that it’s about trust when it comes to each other and the plans they have. That trust will be instrumenFile photo/THE STANDARD tal as the NCAA has dropped the shot clock from 40 seconds to 35 seconds in order to Williams is in his fifth season with MSU. speed up the game.

“We always want to try pushing the basketball,” Lusk said. “A year ago we couldn’t push the basketball. Dorrian Williams could push it every time. But I think we’ve done that so far. It’s been good in a couple of our scrimmages.”

Williams is ready to move faster as a team this season after fighting through last year with a torn labrum. New additions will only reinforce the team’s ability to be more quick and substitute when needed.

It may be an unconventional senior class combination, but it is one that has talent and poise.

“I feel really good about our three seniors,” Lusk said. “They can be a very good Courtesy Associated Press class for us. I don’t just mean from a statistical standpoint, but also from an emotional Boone dunks at the Great Alaska standpoint and leadership standpoint.”

Shootout.

File photo/THE STANDARD

Williams drives the lane against Indiana State.

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The Standard

Newcomers key for both basketball teams success Eric Knifong & Ben Gilbert Sports Reporters @e_knifong & @TheGilb24

Missouri State Bears basketball is just weeks away from tipping off.

The Bears return five starters and will be looking for more bench play, and some of their newcomers could provide the added depth.

“The new guys have done a nice job of adjusting, they have been good,” said head coach Paul Lusk.

The Lady Bears played last year without a true point guard and the incoming freshmen will look to fill that need.

“They (freshman) are very talented, they work hard and they’re extremely coachable,” said Lady Bears head coach Kellie Harper.

The Bears look to add depth, while the Lady Bears look to implement a true point guard into their system. Here is a look at some players that could have the biggest impact for both the Bears and Lady Bears teams.

Dequon Miller The point guard from Charleston, West Virginia is a junior college transfer from Motlow College in Tennessee.

Miller averaged 19.0 points, 9.0 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game as a sophomore.

Miller’s scoring ability and passing efficiency may help the Bears’ offense run smoother.

Courtesy of Athletic Communications

Dequon Miller, junior guard.

Jordan Martin Jordan Martin brings size and a rebounding presence to the lowpost for the Bears. The junior transfer averaged 7.9 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois. Martin, who averaged a double-double his senior year at Hazelwood Central High in St. Louis, could help bring energy to the team.

Courtesy of Athletic Communications

Jordan Martin, junior forward

Riley Rose One of the top rated point guard recruits should help solidify the point guard position for the Lady Bears. Rose was a four-time allstate selection from Harding Academy in Searcy, Arkansas. As a senior Rose averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals per game. Even though she is a freshman, Rose could bring an allaround presence for the Lady Bears.

Danielle Gitzen The school record holder in rebounds and steals at Chanhassen High in Victoria, Minnesota, Danielle Gitzen was a nominee for the McDonald's All-America team her senior year. The guard averaged 15.6 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game and 3.5 steals per game as a senior. She is a two-way player that adds height to the guard position at 5’10” for the Lady Bears.

Courtesy of Athletic Communications

Courtesy of Athletic Communications

Riley Rose, freshman guard

Danielle Gitzen, freshman guard

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Other noteable newcomers

Not all newcomers looking to add an Star All-Metro Second Team distinction in impact have to be transfer students. Here is 2015, also claiming All-District laurels. a look at some Bears recruited at the high school level who will have an immediate Ryan Kreklow impact this season and, hopefully, for years Former Kansas City Run GMC AAU to come. teammate with Jarred Dixon, Kreklow earned Missouri Class 5 Second Team AllObediah Church State honors after his senior season at Rock As a senior at Springfield (Ill.) High Bridge High School.

School, he earned First Team All-State honors for the Senators along with AllGrace Vander Weide Conference and Centralia Tournament AllThe only girl on the list, Vander Weide Tournament team laurels. might be the most exciting of the bunch.

She started four seasons at Valley High in Jarred Dixon Des Moines, Iowa as both a point guard He averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and a wing, and was ranked as high as the and 3.0 assists his senior season at Lee’s No. 1 recruit in Iowa by both Rivals.com Summit West High. He also earned Subur- and Iowa Preps. ban Big 6 All-Conference and Kansas City

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24 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

Mythbusters: the sophomore slump

File photo by Maddy Cushman/THE STANDARD

Ruder started 25 games for the Bears last season.

Ruder’s numbers dipped his sophomore season, but he wasn’t in a slump

By Eli Wohlenhaus Editor-in-chief @eliwohlenhaus

He’s heard it before. I was not afraid to bring it up with him. In fact, it was the first thing I asked him. He just grinned.

“I don’t think it was a sophomore slump,” junior guard Austin Ruder said about last season.

That term has long haunted many athletes, thrown about by analysts and those critical of especially prolific athletes in college hoops and the National Football League. So, before moving any further on whether or not Ruder was in an aforementioned ‘sophomore slump,’ we should take a look at the numbers.

In his freshman season, Ruder went 72180 from beyond the 3-point arc for an exact .400 make rate. The following season, he made 56 t3-pointers on 171 attempts, which is .327.

Yes, the numbers dropped and there were obvious mechanics wrong with the way he was playing. Time after time, Ruder could not get open and when he did, he was quick to pull the trigger even when his feet were not set right and his body was not angled directly at the basket.

Ruder had such a successful freshman outing that opposing teams now knew what to expect and how to scout on him. He became a focal point for the opponent’s defense because of his sniper-like abilities from longrange.

This is not unfathomable, but there were more team issues at hand, which Ruder notes.

“Our team was in a big offensive slump,” Ruder said. “Myself included.”

He humbly takes blame, but once again we must return to the numbers. In the 201314 season — Ruder’s freshman season — the Missouri State Bears averaged 68.5 points per game. The following season the Bears just managed 59.7 points per game.

And what about Ruder himself? The difference in how much he averaged per game was only a 0.1 difference, going from 8.6 in 2013-14 to 8.5 in 2014-15. Ruder expanded his game inside the perimeter and converted on more mid-range jump shots.

Ruder played in two less games in his sophomore season, but averaged 1.5 minutes more per game. Despite the drop in threepoint production, he grabbed 22 steals and shot .860 from the free throw line.

Throughout the season, it seemed like this was not the same player from his first season.

I myself was one of Austin Ruder’s toughest critics. Yet, there always seems to be something that comes along after a season to give people like myself hindsight 20/20.

Ruder dealt with injuries last season, as did the entire MSU team. In the off-season, he had sports hernia surgery which he says affects his lateral quickness.

With numbers down and little nagging issues bothering him, Ruder never lost his role as the team’s best outside shooter, which he continues to work on even though it is his strong suit.

“Getting shots up every day, improving on what I do,” Ruder said.

While he has had to take time to recover from surgery, one thing he has worked on is his ball handling. If any statistic should leap u See SLUMP, page 25

Basketball Preview | November 2015 | 25

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Slump

Continued from page 24

out to demonstrate Ruder’s less efficient sophomore campaign, it would be the 32 turnovers that he committed.

The ‘sophomore slump’ is more or less a perspective, but it is something that can be reasonably explained in a quick three-step checklist, using Ruder as the example: Freshman year: The player has the upperhand.

Ruder entered the league and he had almost ‘free reign’ to establish himself in whatever role the Bears needed him to. Opponents had little to no scouting report on him.

Sophomore year: Opponents have the upperhand.

Everyone in the conference now knows the threat of his outside shooting and prepares for it, limiting his offensive touches and more importantly his looks at the basket.

Junior year+: Anyone’s game.

The advantage comes back to Ruder, if he wants it.

With help from the coaching staff, all they have to do now is take his skill and put it to use, knowing that the opponents found a way to guard him. Simple adjustments like less obvious sets and more movement can help tie the defense up to get Ruder loose.

Maybe the sophomore slump exists, maybe it doesn’t. It puts athletes like Ruder in an unfortunate bind because if he comes out and succeeds in his junior year, then last year will be called a “slump.” Yet if he comes out and cannot produce, then both seasons will be lumped together and looked at as the decline of his abilities. No matter what happens this season, though, Ruder and fans can rest assured that there was no slump.

File photo by Maddy Cushman/THE STANDARD

Ruder shoots over a defender at the MVC tournament in St. Louis.

26 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

Snapshots: Lady Bears

Kristen Stacy/THE  STANDARD

Junior forward Onye Osemenam fights off two Lyon College players on Nov.2

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Kristen Stacy/THE STANDARD

Junior forward Rachel Swartz reaches up to get the ball past a Lyon College player.

Kristen Stacy/THE STANDARD

Senior forward Hillary Chvatal lays it in over the top of Lyon defenders.

28 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

To schedule or not to schedule, that is the question for basketball Bears Brian Wright Staff Reporter

Missouri State Bears men’s and women’s 2015-2016 season are about to begin and both teams have tough schedules ahead of them.

The Lady Bears are picked to finish first in the Missouri Valley Conference, while the men are picked eighth. Both teams will play in guarantee games according to athletic director Kyle Moates, the men’s games will generate more money than the women’s and both sports will generate less than football.

The MVC sets the conference portion of the schedule for all the teams in the conference.

“The conference sets up the conference games,” Moates said. “The only inclination we would have… We like to have our Hall of Fame Weekend on a certain weekend, we’ll take that into consideration.

Moates and Missouri State would like to schedule a men’s game on a Friday or Saturday and the women’s on a Sunday, as ideal for scheduling.

Other scheduling includes working around concerts but there are few problems with schedule making.

Nonconference scheduling can be harder to complete, because there are a lot of guidelines and people that are involved.

“It takes the cooperation of coaches, and we’ll work with teams we have to get in here,” Moates said. “There is some criteria from our conference. You can’t play ‘X’ amount of teams of 250 in the RPI. You gotta play somebody who is about 50. There’s a little formula that we have to work with.”

Rating Percentage Index is what the NCAA Selection Committee uses to select teams for the NCAA Tournament. It is based on wins, losses and strength of schedule.

Bear fans can expect to see both basketball teams face tough competition all year long.

The Lady Bears will compete in Estero, Florida in the Gulf Coast Showcase and the men will be in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Tip Off. The men’s team will also play Utah State in the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge.

“We schedule appropriate,” Moates said.

“We don’t schedule down. If you look historically at our schedule, we schedule above where we have finished. So I think we’ve done our part in terms of scheduling to help our conference.”

Basketball Preview | November 2015 | 29

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Tough tournament competition Men’s basketball

The Bears will be tested early this season as they travel to the Caribbean to take part in the Puerto Rico Tip Off Tournament Nov. 19-22 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Here is a look at who else is attending: Butler All college basketball fans know about the Bulldogs and their success under former head coach Brad Stevens, but recently they’ve come back down to earth. A good team in terms of school size and recognition for the Bears to prove themselves against.

Minnesota This Richard Pitino-led team will be well-coached and big physically.

Temple Don’t let the Owls’ recent football success fool you. This school is known for their basketball and are coming off a fourth round NIT loss last season. A good measuring stick for the postseason-hopeful Bears.

Miami The team that beat Temple last year in the NIT will be even more challenging for the Bears, but not out of reach.

Lady Bears basketball

The Lady Bears will have to travel far, but not as far as Puerto Rico for the Gulf Coast Showcase Tournament in Estero, Florida, Nov. 27-29. Here is a look at some potential matchups and what they would mean for the program this season: Stanford Though the Cardinals are a powerhouse basketball team and have been for some time, hope shouldn’t be completely lost for a Lady Bears’ squad that traditionally plays well against stiffer competition. Don’t expect a win, but don’t expect a blowout either.

Dayton This team will be good, and I mean real good. A season after the Flyers advanced to the Regional Finals of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament before being eliminated by No. 1 UCONN, not much has changed on the roster. The Lady Bears’ silver lining: see how well they can play against one of the nation’s best teams.

Purdue The Boilermakers are coming off an 11-20 season, and are a beatable Big Ten opponent for the Lady Bears. A win against Purdue will look great on their postseason resume.

30 | November 2015 | Basketball Preview

The Standard

Putting the ‘mad’ in Arch Madness

File by Maddy Cushman/THE STANDARD

Southern Illinois fans taunt the Bears with signs at Arch Madness in March 2015.

By Mike Ursery Staff Reporter @MikeUrsery

Madness: (mad-nis) n., 1. the state of being mad; insanity 2. senseless folly 3. frenzy; rage 4. intense excitement or enthusiasm All of these definitions can be applied to the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis, Missouri. The tournament, known around the college basketball world as “Arch Madness,” is a four-day trip with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

As we take a look back, we can see just where each of these definitions could be seen each day, each game.

The state of being mad; insanity Postseason college basketball is an incredible atmosphere, one of the best in all of sports. Teams are fired up, knowing that winning their conference tournament secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, better known as March Madness.

Fans also turn out for strong showings at Arch Madness, and last year was no different.

Wichita State’s “yellow army” did not disappoint and didn’t back down from other fans, as usual. The “yellow army” walked into an intense battle of volume with Saluki fans from Southern Illinois during the day of the quarterfinals. I don’t know what the record is for crowd noise at the Scottrade Center, but the noise level that day had to have been close. Wichita State won that game, but SIU fans stayed in it until the final buzzer.

Senseless folly; rage Speaking of SIU, they finished ninth in the regular season standings, having to make it out of the play-in round before advancing to face the Shockers. SIU drew eighth place Missouri State in that play-in round.

MSU should have won that game. I will leave it at that.

Frenzy; rage Indiana State finished third in the standings, and some viewed them as a potential dark horse who could shake things up in the semifinal round. However, they never made it to the semifinals. Instead, they were upset in a one-sided game against the Loyola Ramblers.

Milton Doyle and company were just too much for the Sycamores. Loyola went on a 17-2 run in the first half and never looked back.

It was a real sight to look at Sycamore fans as the looks on their faces went from excitement at the start of the game, to confusion, to full-on rage and ending with utter sadness as their team’s season went down in flames, hitting the ground with a thud.

Intense excitement or enthusiasm A dark horse did emerge during the semifinals, although it wasn’t Indiana State.

Instead, it was the Illinois State Redbirds.

ISU upset Wichita State on that day. It’s possible that the Shockers were looking ahead to facing Northern Iowa in the finals.

The Redbirds fell behind in the first half as expected, but pulled ahead in the second half and didn’t look back. Wichita State had their chances to retake the lead, but were unsuccessful. It was an incredible scene to watch the Redbirds and their fans celebrate after that game.

The excitement carried on the following day when ISU met UNI in the finals. Illinois State looked like a team determined to win, but Scott Tuttle and the Panthers shut them down in the second half to win the Valley title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Arch Madness lives up to its name every year. Maybe this time MSU fans will actually show up and see all of it for themselves.

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