Winthrop women's basketball team continues 'mini season' today against Newberry

By Karl Lyles - klyles@heraldonline.com

Winthrop's women's basketball team will play game three of a "mini season" at 2 p.m. today at the Winthrop Coliseum against Newberry.

"Mini season" is a term coach Bud Childers and his staff is using to get the small collection of available players through the first several games of the season.

The team knew they would be without redshirt junior Shelly Hankins for at least the first weekend while she recovered from knee surgery. She practiced this week and will be able to contribute some minutes today.

Backup point guard Kathi Ryska hasn't been able to practice since a concussion sidelined her in a scrimmage Nov. 8 at Winston-Salem State.

The big blow came Nov. 11 with the suspension of two starters and a top reserve for violating team rules. Starting small forward Franchesca Davenport, starting center Jennifer Walker and reserve Shanice Cole have been allowed to practice but will not see game action again today. They missed the first two games of the season.

Childers said the players might return Dec. 7 if all goes as planned.

"The coaches have talked to us about this being a mini season until we get our roster back to full strength," senior Ashley Fann said. "We are starting to jell and figure out how we can play together."

Winthrop lost the season-opener, 61-40, to Davidson on Nov. 15. The Eagles shot just 22 percent and were outrebounded 57-33.

Sunday against North Carolina A&T, the first half looked like more of the same. The Eagles trailed 33-21 at the intermission while shooting just 23 percent from the floor.

The second half saw the seniors pull the team together. The Eagles shot the ball better, rebounded better, concentrated on defense and took care of the ball. Winthrop shot 45 percent in the final 20 minutes and connected on 5-for-11 from 3-point range.

Winthrop won 62-60, using a 26-3 run late in the game and Fann's jump shot with 25 seconds to go to take the lead for good.

It took this team three halves of basketball to really understand they were going to have to find a way to win with a thin roster.

"As a team, we needed a more conscious effort," senior center Ashley Haugtvedt said. "As a senior, I have to be a role model more to (Taquoia) Hammick. Tiffany (Rodd) has to work with (Jessica) Fansler and (Ashley) Cox."

Childers met with the seniors before Sunday's game and told them to be leaders.

"They don't have to play great, but they have to play well and mentor the younger players," he said. "I think you saw that Sunday, especially in the second half. The seniors were really encouraging the younger players."

The seniors came through. Fann scored 23 points and had 10 rebounds Sunday. Rodd scored 19 points. Haugtvedt pulled down 10 rebounds. Point guard Yvonne van Daalen scored 7 points and dished out 8 assists.

"We are getting adjusted to playing with who we have right now and getting used to each other's style," Rodd said.

Childers has conducted practices at a little slower pace this week. He has installed two new defenses and three offensive sets tailored to this group of players.

"We are practicing plays we haven't run since we were sophomores," van Daalen said.

Clearly, this is a different situation than anyone imagined for this team less than two weeks ago.

"December 7th is what we are working toward," van Daalen said.

Today, Winthrop will face Newberry, a Division II team that can score a lot of points. Newberry buried Virginia Intermont, 101-48, on Sunday, but they haven't played a D-1 school yet this year.

Winthrop will need to defend forward Helen McKinney. She is averaging 15.7 points through the first three games. Anita Bulcher, a 6-3 center, is averaging 8.3 rebounds a contest, and guard Monica Alexander comes in at 15.7 points and 5.7 assists per game.

McKinney followed her coach, Sean Page, from Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky., to Newberry this year. Page turned around the program at Brescia and inherited a Newberry team that went 19-10 a year ago.