Women's Basketball Preview - Part 8: Wright State

Oct. 26, 2005

Last season, Wright State was the surprise team in the Horizon League.After being picked eighth in the preseason poll, the Raiders won three of their first four league games and then caught fire down the stretch, closing the regular season with five straight wins and adding two more in the postseason tournament before falling to UW-Green Bay in the championship game.

It was the first-ever appearance in the finals for WSU and the two tournament wins equaled the entire total for the program in 14 previous years of conference tournament play. The Raiders, in posting their second-best record all-time at 19-11 overall, had a 9.5-game improvement from the season before, ranking it third in all of Division I behind Robert Morris and Cal State Northridge. Wright State also had its best record and finish in the league standings in tying for second with a mark of 11-5.

So with the 2004-05 campaign behind them, what do the Raiders look to do for an encore in 2005-06?

With all but one player returning from last year's squad, along with the addition of two freshmen and two transfers, expectations are high for this year's squad, as reflected by the Raiders being selected second in this season's preseason poll.

"We are very thrilled about the selection," says head coach Bridgett Williams. "To be picked second is quite an honor because they are many tough teams in the League that could have been considered as well. It will be a challenge for us to play up to that honor."

RETURNERS

Leading the Raiders in meeting that challenge will be junior guard Brittney Whiteside, who was named to the League's Preseason First Team.

"This is well-deserved recognition for Brittney," says Williams. "She has worked very hard to be at the level she is at and we are tremendously excited for her."

Whiteside, who was chosen to both the Horizon League First Team and All-Defensive Team last season, led the Raiders in scoring average at 12.5 points per contest, rebounding average at 7.3, which was good for third best in the League overall, and steals with 56, which ranked sixth in the conference. She paced WSU in scoring 11 times and on the boards on 16 occasions. Whiteside is also on pace to become the 14th member of the 1,000 point club later this season.

Another junior guard that figures heavily into the Wright State plans is Jeanette Woodberry. Second on the team in scoring at 10.5 per game, Woodberry connected on 25 three-pointers a season ago and added 108 rebounds, 74 assists and 13 blocks.

Sophomore forward Whitney Lewis came up with a big rookie campaign in earning Horizon League Newcomer of the Year honors, averaging 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, including a 3.07 average in offensive rebounds which ranked second in the league. She also was third in the league in blocked shots with 37 and fourth in field goal percentage at .521. Lewis was chosen to the league's All-Tournament Team after scoring 10 points against Detroit in the semifinals and 12 in the championship versus UW-Green Bay.

Senior guard Rhea Mays paced the squad last season with 59 steals, which also was good for fourth in the league. After connecting for 28 three-pointers in her first two seasons combined, Mays more than matched that total with 33 in 2004-05 and recorded improvement in every other offensive category as well.

Fellow senior guard Kendra Agee is coming off of a solid campaign as a spot starter and key reserve as she shot 50 percent from the floor with 68 rebounds, 34 assists and 28 steals. Her numbers were even better in league play as she averaged six points, including 12 at UW-Milwaukee and 10 at UIC, along with 3.3 rebounds.

Senior forward Tyanda Hammock came on strong towards the end of the season, including a career-best 18-point performance off the bench against Detroit in the Horizon League semifinals. She averaged 5.7 points in just 15.6 minutes per game.

Forward Danielle Duncan appeared in every game off the bench as a freshman, averaging just over three points and as many rebounds per contest. She had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds in the first meeting with Cleveland State and led the team with 11 boards at Morehead State.

Sierra Crayton, another sophomore forward, saw limited action last season, but still managed six points at Loyola and four points with five offensive rebounds versus Detroit in the league semifinals.

The final returnee, sophomore guard Steph Comisar, appeared in 23 games off the bench, but made the most of her opportunities, which included making the game-winning shot in WSU's Horizon League opener with Butler. Comisar, who is also the starting goalkeeper on the women's soccer team, paced the Raiders with 11 points in the first meeting with UIC and had eight points in the semifinal game against Detroit.

NEWCOMERS

Along with nine returnees, the roster also includes two transfers. Sophomore guard Ana Marisa Perez comes to WSU from New Mexico State, where she appeared in every game as a reserve her freshman year with 36 assists and 16 steals. Sophomore Alicia Avery gives the Raiders size as the 6-5 center appeared in one game for Cincinnati a year ago, scoring four points with four blocked shots and a rebound against #15 Michigan State.

Rounding out the roster is a pair of freshmen in guard Erian Buckman and forward Becky Howerton. Buckman, a local product from Dayton Jefferson High School, appears in the Ohio High School Athletic Association record books in three-pointers made and assists in a game. Howerton, an Indiana native, was selected as a Top 100 senior by Hoosier Basketball Magazine as she averaged 10.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a senior while shooting 53 percent from the field.

SCHEDULE

Wright State faces probably its toughest schedule ever this season as six of Wright State's 20 potential opponents (Virginia, Montana, Florida State, Western Carolina, UW-Green Bay and Ohio State) advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. The Raiders begin the campaign with a game at Atlantic Coast Conference member Virginia followed by a matchup against Division I newcomer Longwood.

WSU will then head to the Sunshine State over Thanksgiving weekend for the Seminole Classic in Tallahassee, taking on Montana in the opening round on Saturday, November 26 and either Western Carolina or host Florida State on Sunday, November 27.

The season-opening seven-game road swing concludes with three games against western Ohio rivals in Miami, Dayton and Toledo before the Raiders finally open the home portion of their schedule on Tuesday, December 13, against Marshall.

Wright State also hosts Ball State and Seton Hall before starting Horizon League play on Saturday, December 31, at home against Youngstown State. 2006 will feature the other 15 games on the league schedule along with a matchup with nationally-ranked Ohio State, who advanced to the Sweet Sixteen last season, on Tuesday, February 7.

"It is quite a demanding schedule and should prepare us for the Horizon League slate and for the postseason tournament," says Williams. "We will have to bring our top game to the table every night."

With a great deal of experience returning along with a challenging schedule, it should be an exciting season of Wright State women's basketball.