UTC Soph Ansley Chilton and coach Jim Foster emphsizing a point during Monday's practice
photo by M.A. Locke
UTC women's basketball coach Jim Foster stresses a point during practice
photo by M.A. Locke
UTC junior center Jasmine Joyner is looking for another great season for the Mocs
photo by M.A. Locke
Senior guard Red Payne shoots a layup during Monday's practice
photo by M.A. Locke
Eight weeks from tonight – Mon. Nov. 30 – it’s UConn vs. UTC women at McKenzie Arena.
The biggest and brightest star in the women’s college basketball world comes to town in the front end of a home-and-home series with the Mocs.
National-caliber teams have come here before - Stanford, Tennessee, Rutgers (Notre Dame comes next season) – and fans have turned out to support the Mocs.
But this is women’s hoops version of the old Boston Celtics, New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots all rolled into one. Filling McKenzie Arena four days after Thanksgiving is, or course, the goal.
“Who wouldn’t be excited to play UConn,” said senior guard Alicia “Red” Payne with a smile Monday prior to the second day of fall practice.
“We are not focused too much on UConn, but that game is in the back of our minds,” Payne stated.
What the Mocs are focused on is working on defense after a summer of concentrating on offensive.
“We worked two hours a week this summer on tweeking our offense and now we are working on the fundamentals of our defense,” said UTC head women’s basketball coach Jim Foster
“We are a veteran team (four starters return) and have good depth at every position.’’
The top three scorers and five of the top six are back off a 29-4 team which won the Southern Conference title and lost to Pittsburgh in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
UTC is led by Jasmine Joyner (Jr. C 12.0 ppg, 8.2 rbpg, 132 blocks), Cheley Shumpert (11.5 ppg, 2.2 rbpg, 3.5 assists), Keina Gilbert (So. G/F; 10.5 ppg, .7 rbg, 2 assists), Aryanna Gilbert (7.8 ppg, 3.8 rbpg) and Red Payne (5.4 ppg, 2.9 rbpg), 3.6 assists).
“I need to work on my offense more this year and when I have the open shot to take it,” said Joyner. “It’s not all about defense (132 blocks last season) as I have to step up on offense. I need to be solid on both ends of the floor.
Joyner was invited to participate in the USA Basketball Team Trials this summer in Colorado Springs, Colo. and found it invaluable.
“I played against some of the best centers and forwards in the country and I realized I need to be more aggressive and upgrade my game.”
Key newcomers are Queen Alford (5-10, F./Jr.) and Ashlyn Wert (6-5, F/C, RFr.), the tallest Mocs player ever.
2015-16 Schedule - Season-Opener: Seventeen days prior to facing UConn, the Mocs open the season Friday Nov. 13 at home vs. McNeese State in an opening round game of the pre-season Women’s National Invitational Tournament.
After competing in the WNIT, the Mocs travel to Tennessee (Nov. 23), to South Florida (Dec.13), to Stanford (Dec.28) and the aforementioned home game with UConn (Nov 30).
An attractive home schedule includes McNeese State (Nov.13), Butler (Nov.15) Arkansas State (Nov. 25), UT Martin (Nov. 28), UConn (Nov. 30), Belmont (Dec. 16) and Harvard (Jan.4) plus the Southern Conference schedule.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net