Women's Basketball Preview - Part 8: UW-Milwaukee
Nov. 8, 2006
Coming off arguably the best season in the team's Division I history, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team enters the 2006-07 season with the bar set higher than ever.
As if finishing second-or-better in each of the last seven seasons wasn't enough pressure, the Panthers will look to build on a school-record 22-9 mark, Horizon League regular season and tournament championships and the second NCAA Tournament trip in school history.
But, pressure is nothing new for the Panthers.
"We've always had an `x' on our back, being one of the top teams in the league and a team to beat. Now we're a championship team, so every game is a big game and we can't overlook anyone," Milwaukee head coach Sandy Botham said. "The key to us being able to repeat will be our focus, discipline and attention to detail. I think our consistency in doing the little things, coming ready to play, executing offensively and our defensive fundamentals will be essential."
UWM was picked second in the league's preseason poll, most likely due to the loss of senior starters Nichole Drummond and Molly O'Brien. Drummond was an all-league first-team selection and the team's second-leading scorer, while O'Brien was the team's emotional leader and third-best scorer.
"We lost two key players. People are wondering how we are going to be this year without Molly and Nichole. They were two substantial players who played substantial roles in our championship run," Botham said. "Something that helped us achieve our championship was our depth. We were probably two or three deep at every position and now this gives them an opportunity to show that they can be starters for this team.
"I'm excited to see which players will step up and fill those gaps. We definitely have players that are capable of it. It will just be a matter of using the non-conference to see who will emerge."
Botham's cupboard is far from bare, as she returns two-fifths of the league's all-newcomer team in sophomore Traci Edwards and junior Meredith Onson, in addition to four more players with starting experience and 11 letterwinners total.
Edwards played her way to Horizon League Newcomer of the Year and all-league first team honors by averaging 16.1 points and a league-best 10.0 rebounds per game as a freshman. A 6-foot-2 force in the post, she posted 15 double-doubles, including a pair of 20-rebound performances, and threatened the school records for rebounds and blocks in a season.
Another dimension to her game last season was her ability to distribute the ball, as she finished third on the team with 80 assists. That figure is a school record for centers and also eclipsed the team-leading total from each of the previous three seasons. In the league tournament, her talent was on full display, as she averaged 17.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game on her way to tournament MVP honors.
"Traci obviously proved herself last year as one of the most formidable post players in the league," Botham said. "Players had a difficult time stopping her as a freshman. She is only going to get better."
Onson, a preseason all-league selection, begins the season as the team's point guard. In her first season in a Panther uniform, she led the team with 98 assists, while chipping in 7.2 points per game. She will be looked upon more as a scorer for Milwaukee, possibly moving to a shooting guard to increase her opportunities.
"This could be the year for Meredith. With the loss of Nichole, one of our top scorers last year, you could see Meredith be more of a scorer for us," Botham said. "She was an all-league second team choice this preseason. I think she has even greater potential than that, so this will be a greater motivator for her."
Where Onson will play could hinge on freshman Jodie McClain. Brought in as UWM's point guard of the future, the Westerville, Ohio, native could play her way into a starting role at the point, allowing Onson the opportunity to score more. At Westerville South High School, McClain was named district player of the year as a senior when she averaged 17.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 4.6 steals per game.
"We brought Jodie in as a point guard. So, depending on how she progresses, she could step into the point guard role immediately," Botham said. "That would allow us to shift Meredith over to the shooting guard and get her more opportunities to score."
Senior Aubrey Hampton will likely assume a starting role at shooting guard as Onson starts the season at the point. Hampton played in 30 games as a junior, earning four starts and chipping in three points and just over one assist per game. She adapted to the two-guard last season with the addition of Onson, but could see her scoring return to the pace of her first two seasons when she averaged 6.6 points per game.
Sophomore Kim Wypiszynski returns to the Panther frontcourt, competing for the starting role she inherited last season prior to the league tournament. After an injury to Dana Schultz, Wypiszynski moved into the starting lineup and excelled with the opportunity. She helped Milwaukee to a league tournament crown by averaging 9.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in three games. She finished the year with five starts and contributed 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, while shooting a solid 78.3 from the free throw line.
Schultz started 26 of the first 27 games of last season before suffering the second knee injury of her career just before the league tournament. She averaged 3.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, but had increased her scoring to almost eight points per game in her last four appearances of the season. She's bounced back in the off-season and enters her junior year stronger than ever.
A handful of players enter the season with a chance to crack the starting lineup at small forward. Sophomores Turquoise McCain and Emily Markert could emerge early as the favorites, while Schultz, senior Megan Rogers and junior Aubri Rote could battle for that spot.
McCain made an early impact last season, beginning her collegiate career with a team-best 14 points at No. 25 Oklahoma. She was the first freshman in the team's Division I history to lead the team in scoring in the first game of the season. She finished with three starts in 27 appearances on the year, emerging as a defensive presence for the Panthers late in games.
Meanwhile, Markert earned most of her time at shooting guard last season, finishing among the team leaders in three-pointers made and setting a school freshman record by making 41.2 percent of her three-point attempts. She played in 29 games and was fifth on the team in scoring with 4.4 points per game.
"Emily Markert gave us some key minutes off the bench last year and Turquoise McCain showed glimpses of what she is capable of," Botham said. "I'm excited to see how our youth will show. They have made great improvements in the preseason in terms of their mentality."
Rogers has been a role player her entire career, demonstrating a knack for performing in big games. She finished with 4.0 points per outing last season, but came up big at UW-Green Bay, scoring 11 points in just 10 minutes to help UWM to a two-point victory.
"Megan, mentality-wise, is above and beyond other players in her position. She isn't afraid to take the big shot," Botham said. "Offensively, she has done a lot of big things for us in her career and this season she came back in the best shape she has ever been in and she will make a difference. Depending on how things go, she could possibly play the four for us, with Kim moving to the three."
Rote played a similar role in the Panthers' victory over the Phoenix at home, as she hit all three 3-pointers she attempted to finish with a season-best nine points. She ended the season with 32 points in 17 appearances and made six of the nine 3's she attempted on the year.
"Aubri has really proven to us that she is committed to helping this program and earned a scholarship after joining us as a walk-on," Botham said. "She really proved herself in some of our bigger games last season, coming up big for us, hitting big shots. She came back in great shape. She has a scorer's mentality and a good head for the game"
Also back are sophomore Katie Fournier and senior Kiley Johnson. Fournier gave Milwaukee added depth in the post last season. She is a solid defender, who creates problems for opposing teams that try to go inside. Last season, she battled a leg injury to play in 20 games. She finished second on the team with 13 blocks, including five in one game.
Johnson also battled injury, making just 10 appearances on the season. If healthy, she provides a long-range option for Coach Botham. In her first two seasons, Johnson hit 74 three-pointers and averaged just over six points per game.
"Kiley has done well, coming back from injuries that hurt her last season," Botham said. "She knows this is her final season, so she has stepped up and has set a good example to our younger kids. She could come off the bench and provide a good spark for us."
Danae Russell, a 5-foot-9 guard, joins McClain as another freshman that could made an impact right away. Russell comes to UWM from Thornwood High School in South Holland, Ill., where she was a two-time all-area performer and an all-state honoree. Russell will likely see time in a smaller Panther lineup, playing as the team's third guard on the floor.
Sophomore Jody Crumble will look to make a contribution this season, her first with the Panthers since transferring from Jackson State. She will not be able to suit up for UWM until after the first semester, but she brings a year of Division I experience with her from JSU. As a freshman in 2004-05, she made 20 starts and averaged over six points and almost three assists per game. She's also a local product, graduating from Vincent High School in Milwaukee.
Angel Calloway and Jessica Brown are a pair of freshman post players that will vie for playing time as they adapt to the college game in their own ways. Calloway was plagued by injuries in high school, but showed glimpses in her two healthy seasons, earning all-conference honors both times.
Brown, on the other hand, was a late-bloomer and truly broke out last summer playing for her AAU team. A 6-foot-5 center, she initially signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Minnesota, Crookston, but was released and joined the Panthers when school started.
Freshmen Maddy Kusilek and Ebony Hampton also made the team late, competing at an open tryout for places on the roster. Kusilek was a three-time all-conference performer from Glenwood City High School in northwest Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Hampton, cousin of former Panther Teri Huff (2001-04), was an all-conference performer for Milwaukee Washington High School.
"I think we've got good depth at every position, but we still brought in a few walk-ons that only bolster what we already have," Botham said. "Jess brings great dimensions at 6-5 and continues to get better. Maddy is feisty guard who had a decorated high school career. And, Ebony brings great athleticism and enthusiasm to this team."
