Contrary to DMN Headline - SMU at LaTech

[smupony94]

SMU keeps rebuilding season going with WNIT home game

11:43 PM CDT on Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By BOBBI ROQUEMORE / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

UNIVERSITY PARK – As two of SMU's elder stateswomen, junior guard Brittany Gilliam and senior forward Elbie Gates had grown accustomed to Rhonda Rompola's no-tolerance coaching style.

But when Rompola began the season with a relaxed approach – and a 0-3 start followed – the Mustangs wanted the old Rhonda back.

"I remember Elbie saying, 'Enough is enough, make us run,' " Gilliam said.

The Mustangs survived a rough stretch in non-conference play and ended it with a key victory over NCAA Tournament qualifier TCU. Once the Conference USA slate was underway, Rompola was back to her fiery self.

A rebuilding year turned out to be a gem as SMU qualified for the Women's NIT by virtue of its regular-season C-USA championship.

Rompola called 2008-09 one of the most rewarding of her 18 years at the helm.

"You get to a point in the season that you have so much confidence in your team that no matter the situation, you feel like you should win the game or you've got a good chance of winning the game," Rompola said. "It doesn't always fall that way or happen that way, but it's a nice feeling for a coach to have."

Rompola had to start the season in a kinder, gentler mode because of the void of experience.

Many of Rompola's previous teams had a go-to player, such as Janielle Dodds, D-dra Rucker and Karlin Kennedy.

Gilliam wound up leading the team in several key categories such as scoring (14.6), assists (3.9) and steals (2.5). Yet teammates such as junior forward Delisha Wills, junior guard Jillian Samuels and even freshman center Christine Elliott were enough of a threat to keep opponents off-balance. Sophomore guards Haley Day and LaShandra Hill improved significantly as they received more court time.

"Her teams are always well-prepared and well-coached," UTEP coach Keitha Adams said. "She's a great motivator that gets the most from her players.

"Anytime you graduate that many seniors and you follow up next season with a conference championship that speaks volumes of the consistency of the coach and the program."

Coming so close to another NCAA berth after all they've been through left the Mustangs disappointed. But, Gilliam said, SMU will make a run for the WNIT championship while using the tournament as a learning experience. All but two current Mustangs will return for 2009-10.

"We still get to play and, like I told the team, we're not in the NCAA but this is our time to get better for next year," Gilliam said.

FILLING THE VOID

SMU won the Conference USA regular-season title and made it back to the postseason despite losing six seniors from last year's roster: posts Janielle Dodds, Catherine Campbell and Brittany Barker; guard Katy Cobb; and guard/forwards Katie Gross and Sharee Shepherd. A statistical breakdown of what those six contributed in their careers:

•560 games played

•326 games started

•236 blocked shots

•793 assists

•612 steals

•289 3-pointers

•2,339 rebounds

•4,365 points

Courtesy: SMU Athletics

[ponydawg]

SMU keeps rebuilding season going with WNIT home game

just a minor detail.

[SMUcheer2010]

Can the Mustangs defeat former WAC rival LA Tech for the first time?


http://media.www.smudailycampus.com/media/storage/paper949/news/2009/03/19/Sports/Mustangs.Ready.For.La.Tech-3675999.shtml