Nov. 7, 2010
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL VS. DAVIS & ELKINS (EXHIBITION)
When: Monday, 7 p.m.
Where: Patriot Center
Tickets: Adults: $5, Youth & Senior Citizens $2. Mason Students: Free with ID
Follow: Live Stats on GoMason.com
With all five starters returning in 2010-11, the George Mason women's basketball team is poised to continue developing a winning program. Last season, the Patriots more than doubled their victory total and saw significant improvements for head coach
Jeri Porter. Ready to begin her third season at the helm of Patriots basketball, Porter continues to stress the importance of being competitive, night-in and night-out.
"Our goal going in to this year is to be as competitive as we possibly can and show everyone in the league that we are a team that is moving in the right direction," Porter said. "Our expectations are to be in the hunt of the top half of the league eventually, but that we are making strides in that direction right now."
The Patriots bring a depth-filled lineup with experience at nearly every position. Leading the way is the four-member senior class, led by guard Brittany Poindexter. The Kensington, Md., native was a Preseason All-CAA honorable mention after averaging nearly 12 points a game last season, highest on the team. Guards Ashleigh Braxton and Brittany Eley each represent strong scoring threats while forward Angelee LaTouche will return as a starter in the post.
"This year for the first time we have four solid seniors who have all been in our program for the same amount of time that we have, that are very comfortable with our system and know what our expectations are for them," Porter explained. "They know exactly what to expect and they can help us to prepare the rest of the team."
Two Patriots that will make their debuts on the court this season are redshirt juniors Evelyn Lewis and Taleia Moton. The 6'3" Lewis, a transfer from Penn State, and Moton, a 5'6" guard who previously played at Radford including a freshman season under Porter, will jump right into the rotation and contribute.
"Taleia and Evelyn obviously provide two things that we really need," Porter explained. "Taleia gives us another scoring guard - there were times last year when we just didn't have that person where we could put the ball in her hands, with the shot clock winding out and get something good out of it and Taleia gives us that type of ability as a guard who handles the ball well.
"Evelyn obviously provides a great presence in the paint that we didn't have last year. Just by virtue of her physical stature, she gives us a big body, but she also brings some really nice things in terms of her athletic ability. She is as good a passing post player as I think there will be in the league in terms of her ability to see the floor and find the open man when she is getting doubled."
Junior forward Amber Epps will continue to provide valuable depth and experience in a reserve role, which Porter credits to her work ethic.
"Amber's done a great job of making us better in practice. She's a kid that comes to work every day and has been extremely consistent and played hard," Porter said.
Junior Joyous Tharrington transferred to Mason this offseason following two seasons at the University of Richmond, and will redshirt the 2010-11 season due to NCAA rules.
Mason brings a four-person sophomore class to the roster this year, and with the exception of guard Shavonne Duckett who missed extensive playing time last season due to injury, there is plenty of experience among the group.
"We've got some pretty battle tested sophomores, particularly in Rahneeka Saunders and Amber Easter and Janaa Pickard who were the three that really saw a lot of solid minutes for us last year," Porter explained. "I think people will see that they have each added things to their game. They are three kids that have worked extremely hard."
Easter was an CAA All-Rookie Team selection a year ago, Mason's first in nine seasons, after the 6'0" Hampton, Va., native finished second on the team in scoring and rebounding.
"Amber, obviously coming off an All-Rookie season, we have talked about some things that she could do, particularly on the defensive end," Porter said. "I feel that she can be a better defender for us in the paint, just by using her quickness and her length to be a little bit more tenacious on defense."
Guard Rahneeka Saunders made the successful transition to the point guard position at the collegiate level and will return in the same role, while forward Janaa Pickard continues to work towards establishing a dominant post presence.
"Rahneeka has done a really good job working on her perimeter shot," Porter said. "Not wanting to be that point guard that people can kind of just disrespect offensively, but realizing she has the ability to score. Janaa has gotten bigger, she has gotten stronger and she now has the real true versatility that we are looking for. She is the post that can legitimately go down to the block and post up and use her strength to get some good looks at the rim, but also still have the ability to consistently knock down the 16 and 17 foot jumper."
The two first-year players donning the Green and Gold in 2010 are guards Cierra Strickland and Christine Weithman. The duo will have the ability to learn the college game while also having the opportunity to showcase their talents.
"I think they are both, as freshmen, young guards that we have really high expectations from," Porter explained. "We won't have to ask them to spend as many minutes on the floor as we had with the freshmen the past two seasons, but you will see them. You'll see them out on the court and you will be able to see, moving forward, the contribution that we expect both of them to bring the next four years."
With only two freshmen and a transfer added to the roster, the corps of returnees is well prepared to jump right into the season and contribute immediately.
"Everybody's so much more comfortable right now than we were a year ago and we feel that we are in a little better position of being ahead in terms of where we are at right now and being able to build on that," she added. "Being better now, hopefully makes us better in November and December and of course better in January going in to conference play so I think it's invaluable to have that many kids back who have been in the system and understand what we are looking for."
With a strong non-conference schedule and the positive growth the team has experienced already, Porter believes that this year will prove to be a turning point for the George Mason women's basketball team.
"We have communicated that this, in our mind, is the year that we turn the corner," she explained. "What that means in turns of contending for championships, we are going to let that work itself out. We know our expectations for ourselves as a group are that we will be very competitive in our conference this year and put ourselves in a good position moving forward."
