The Pepperdine women’s basketball team and President-Elect Barack Obama’s agendas could not be more different. Well except for one thing – they both want change.
“We know it will be tough but we think we’ve done the work to prepare ourselves well said fifth-year head coach Julie Rousseau. We hope it will give us a chance to be competitive at the least.”
Last season the Waves compiled a 5-9 conference record and a 10-18 record overall losing almost twice as many games as they won and struggling to compete throughout the season. One area the team hopes will change is its defensive intensity. Rousseau said that defense was a major weakness of last year’s squad and that the team has been working tirelessly to improve that area.
“Our focus is defense she said. Last year we scored very high in conference but we couldn’t stop anyone. So the concentration and focus throughout this whole preseason has been on becoming a better defensive team.”
Major changes have been made on the roster this season starting from the top. Three new assistant coaches will join Rousseau on staff in hopes of turning the team’s fortunes around: Maylana Martin Douglas Darryl Brown and Maurice Holliard.
Douglas who had been an assistant coach at UCLA for the past four years said Rousseau played a huge part in getting her to Pepperdine. She believes the future of the team looks promising.
“What drew me here is Julie Rousseau and the opportunities here Douglas said at her hiring. Pepperdine is a great university … and it has a great basketball tradition. The balance that everything provides here bodes well for the program’s future.”
A head coach on the Division II level Brown said at his hiring that he is also ecstatic to be at the university and has tremendous respect for Rousseau. Brown said he values success both on the court and in the classroom and looks forward to helping the players achieve both.
Hilliard needed only to move offices having spent the past seven years as an academics coordinator at Pepperdine. His addition as an assistant coach rounds out the staff for the upcoming season.
Another major change the team will have to face this season is playing without its number one scorer from last year Daphanie Kennedy who graduated in the spring. She averaged a shade under 20 points a game. The next closest average came from junior and starting forward/center Miranda Ayim at 13.1 points per game.
“We know it will be tough Rousseau said. But we think we’ve done the work to prepare ourselves well and that it will give us a chance to be competitive.”
One area Rousseau said she’s counting on being a strength of this team is the veteran leadership. With five seniors on the squad Rousseau said she expects large contributions on the court and in the locker room from her seasoned players.
I think this team is different than last year’s in the sense that our senior leadership is extraordinary Rousseau said. The leaders on this team are really going to be what makes this team have success.”
The projected starting guards that Rousseau calls “the backbone and rock of our team in terms of leadership” this season are seniors Nakeya Isabell and Jessica Ross.
Having redshirted last season because of a foot injury Isabell ranked fifth in the WCC for steals (1.9) and sixth for assists (3.1) in 2006. A speed demon with great court vision Isabell is expected to push the ball and help the Waves become a more up-tempo offense.
Having started all 28 games last season Ross earned a reputation as a hard worker and a reliable three-point shooter ranking 14th in the WCC in three-pointers made (1.1) as well as 15th in steals (1.3). Rousseau said she expects Ross to lead by example and be as dependable this year as she has been the last three.
Two forwards expected to contribute heavily and possibly start this season are seniors Alisha Bryant and Taylor Smith. Both starting forward positions are still up in the air as Rousseau said that it could change regularly depending on the opponent and who earns the minutes.
Known on the team as the “heart Bryant brings a level of intensity and commitment off of which her teammates feed. She started in 17 of 27 games last season and averaged 3.2 points per game.
Having played in 19 games before suffering a season-ending injury last year, the versatile Smith is expected to play both guard and forward this season, adding some flexibility in the lineup for Rousseau. She is also a capable post up player and three-point shooter. Suffering injuries throughout her collegiate career, a healthy Smith will be key for this season’s success.
Manning the middle at center as a guaranteed starter for the Waves is Ayim. A large contributor both offensively and defensively last season. Ayim will look to up her scoring total from her impressive sophomore campaign, when she averaged 13.1 points per game to place 8th best in the WCC and led the team in rebounding at 8.6 per game, second highest in the WCC. She also led the WCC in field-goal percentage (55.6) and was third in blocked shots (1.96). Ayim must carry much of the offensive load if the Waves hope to improve on last season’s record.
Rounding out the roster for the Waves is junior forward Taylor Snider, sophomore guards Joy Lelo and Katie Menton and freshmen guards Jazmine Jackson, Audrey Miller, Skye Barnett, Lauren Bell and forward/center Alex Jarrell.
Although there are technically five freshmen, Rousseau said that’s only in name, and she needs and expects contributions from the newcomers.
We have no freshman she said. I told them you can’t be freshmen all year long. And I don’t know how long it will take for them to not be freshmen but we’re definitely expecting the freshmen to come in and give some good play. They’re part of the depth that we’re talking about.”
The team is 2-0 in the preseason and looks to continue their winning ways Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Cal Poly SLO at home.