Women’s head basketball coach Ronald Hughey will implement a fast-paced offense in the 2016 season. | Robyn Archer/The Cougar
The Cougar women’s basketball team will get the 2016-2017 basketball season underway when they take on the Southeastern Louisiana Lions in Hofheinz Pavilion 3 p.m. Sunday.
Coming off a season in which the team finished just 6-24, the new year will allow head coach Ronald Hughey and his team to refocus. The Cougars struggled to a 2-11 record at home last season, a mark that they seek to improve beginning Sunday.
Women’s basketball dominated in their exhibition game last week on their way to a 64-32 victory over St. Edward’s University.
Junior guard Mariah Mitchell led all Cougar scorers with 14 points on 4-for-6 shooting from three-point distance. Junior Chyanne Butler was not far behind on the stat sheet with 11 points of her own.
The team will need to increase their level of play against the Lions that are a member of the NCAA’s Southland Conference. The Lions are a rebuilding program that finished just 4-25 last season with a 1-15 record on the road.
Lion’s senior guard Nanna Pool is a scoring threat to any defense as she averaged a team-high 14.8 points per game last season. Coupled with the 13.2 points-per-game production from sophomore guard Taylin Underwood a year ago, the Lions have dynamic scoring threats that can cause problems for any defense.
Last season, the Cougars enjoyed a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging at least six points per game. Serithia Hawkins paced the team with an average of 8.8 points per game as well as rebounds with 7.4 per game.
Following Sunday’s game, women’s basketball will head west for games against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and California State University, Long Beach.
