Women’s baskeball seeing the effects of outside factors
Danny Bailey – Staff Writer
Three weeks ago, the Missouri Southern Women’s Basketball team were talking Regional seedings and a MIAA title. This week, the only thing on the Lions’ mind should be preservation.
The worst case scenario for Women’s Basketball Coach, Maryann Mitts, would have been a winless season. Putting players on the floor who didn’t have the will to win.
Listening to fans and boosters call for change at some level, while dealing with the media who have always been critical of the Lions play. The fans have a different version of a worst possible outcome.
The Lions put together an amazing first half of the season, winning 6 out of their first 10 conference games while staying healthy and building infinite promise.
During the second half of the season, everything the fans have come to know and expect from Mitts’ team falls apart.
Southern has dropped their last two conference games, including an embarassing 79-46 meeting with Emporia State.
The Jan. 23rd meeting between the Lions and the Hornets was a 90-71 decision in favor of MSSU. So the question begs to be asked: Which MSSU team will step onto the floor for the rest of the season?
Outside factors are influencing the Lions play on the court. Senior Robin Kantin recently returned to action comming off of a knee injury.
Several players are battling flu-like symptoms while remaining in the lineup for Mitts. Ela Zawadka’s recent concussion only takes another senior leader out of the equation for the future that lay ahead for MSSU.
MSSU might have another problem on their hands. Their post defense has been sketchy for the past few weeks.
In the case of the Emporia loss, it was downright awful. Forwards Ida Edwards and Michelle Stueve owned the paint, scoring a combined 42 points.
The old Missouri southern Women’s Basketball teams prided themselves on defense. They didn’t always have the best talent or the greatest supporting cast around them, but they never quit.
The last hope for MSSU this season is to look within and find something that should have been there from the beginning. Heart.
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