Women's basketball in the midst of a rebuilding season
With the season winding down the women are looking to
development rather than a conference championship
Lauren Sims / Reporter
The Elon women's basketball team hosted the Davidson
Wildcats on Saturday and lost 62-58, adding another loss to
their 4-19, 3-13, record. Freshman Tierra Bumbrey led the
team with 22 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
It's been a rough season for the Phoenix who turned the
ball over 20 times, which resulted in an easy 21 points for
the Wildcats. Even though Elon seemed to be struggling, the
bench helped them to stay alive, as they contributed to 29 of
the 58 points. It was mainly the turnovers that did the
damage for the Phoenix, as they were about even in terms of
rebounds, with Davidson coming away with 38 and Elon 35.
With just three conference wins and 13 loses, it's easy
to see how much they have struggled this season. Season
averages include 23.3 turnovers per game and a 37 percent
shooting average from the floor, averaging about 50 points
per game. With these statistics, it is easy to overlook how
young this team is and how they have a lot of growing to do
as a team.
Nine freshmen make up the roster and the top two leading
scorers are both in fact, freshmen: Tierra Bumbrey and Kitara
McMoore. It will take a couple years, but these newcomers are
already showing the leadership qualities that will carry the
team to victory down the road.
"Young and talented, we keep getting better as we move
through the season," head coach Brenda Paul said.
"We have been starting three freshmen with seven playing
significant minutes," adds Paul. "It becomes
freshmen backing up freshmen."
There are six rookies who are leading the team with only
four seniors, one sophomore and one junior, although one
senior is out due to a knee injury. Immaturity is affecting
this team in terms of guiding the younger players and showing
them the way in the big jump to Division I athletics. Yes,
this is a young team, but their record does not reveal their
development and the positive moments they have had on the
court.
Those moments have become overpowered with the turnovers and
weak statistics.
"While wins have been few and far between, we have had
bright moments to build on. Rebounding has improved, as we
are now in the middle of the pack," says Paul.
But, as manager Rebecca Kuhn puts it, "Our girls will
be a great team, once they learn the system and what's
required of them. Give them two years and they'll be
great." Two years of growth will allow the freshmen to
become junior leaders and learn the ins and outs of NCAA
Division I basketball. Bumbrey and McMoore have already shown
brilliance and the potential to be leaders that the team is
looking for with their high averages.
"This team has shown toughness as well as
character," says Paul. Change and improvement "come
with experience," she adds. "Our goal now is to
keep making progress and then make a statement in the
tournament."
Elon fans need to keep up the support in high intensity and
enthusiasm for the next couple of years and great things will
result. While this has been a long and lacking year in terms
of what the numbers reveal, it is the start of something
prosperous.
You can catch the lady Phoenix in their last home game on
Feb. 26 as they take on the Furman Paladins at 4:30 p.m.
Contact Lauren Sims at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247.
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