Last season was very disappointing for the Cougars. They were 8-22 overall and 3-15 in Pac 10 play. Even worse maybe, they won only 4 home games. The positive spin is they went 2-4 over their last 6 games including a win at USC and a win at home over Oregon. Several players have transferred out, several injured players have returned, and they have a decent recruiting class.
LOSSES:
Both the starter and back ups at Point Guard transferred out. Kiki Moore was 2nd on the team in scoring, 12 points, and 1st in steals, 3, and first in assists, 3.5 per game. Camille LeNoir averaged 3 points per game, had had a positive assist to turnover ratio, the only one on the team. But they transferred for a reason and maybe it will help not hurt the Cougars.
ADDITIONS:
Rosetta Adzasu is a 5-5 Point Guard who played at Central Arizona JC as a frosh and is transferring from Yakima JC where she played last season. She played High School basketball in Oregon.
Hana Potter is a 6-2 frosh Post from Minnesota where she was the # 43 Post in the country per HoopGurlz.
Brandi Thomas is a 6-1 frosh Forward who Coach June Daugherty calls “the best athlete from the State of Washington in a long time. Thomas had games of 12 blocked shots and 23 rebounds. She was not ranked.
Sage Romberg is a 6-1 Forward who was the # 73 Player in the US per All Star Girls Report and # 87 per HoopGurlz.
Two players return from injuries. Katie Grad is a 5-8 3rd year Soph Guard and Jessica Oestreicher is a 6-8 3rd year Soph Center.
NON CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
Washington State has one of the tougher schedules in the Pac 10. Nebraska, North Carolina, Gonzaga (maybe twice as they are in a tournament with them). Also they might play Mississippi, same tournament and will play San Diego State and South Dakota State.
BY POSITION:
Center:
Carly Noyes started 25 of the 30 games last year as a Frosh. Noyes is 6-5 and averaged 6.6 points and 5 rebounds per game. She set the Washington State record fro blocks in a season with 57, 2 per game.
Jessica Oestreicher is a 6-8 Soph who missed last season with a knee injury. She missed some of her frosh year and also all her Jr year in High School with a knee injury. When she played her Frosh year, she averaged 8 minutes a game. However she was a top 100 player per several sites out of High School. Jessica is also agile enough to be an all league player in High School in Softball.
Hana Potter is a 6-2 Frosh who could also play Forward. She was born in the State of Washington although went to High School in Minnesota.
Power Forwards:
Rosie Tarnowski is a 6-1 Jr who started almost every game last season averaging 4.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Katie Madison is a 6-0 Sr who also played some Center due to lack of depth there and averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds per game.
6-1 Jr Lexie Peterson played 12 minutes a game last year scoring 1.4 point per game.
6-1 Frosh Brandi Thomas may also play here.
Wings:
5-10 Jr Jazmine Perkins averaged 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals per game. She’ll be one starter. She has a load of potential, All League potential, but has lacked offensive consistency and focus thus far. I believe she is the key to this team, if she matures, she could be very good.
April Cook is a 5-8 Jr who averaged 14 points per game to lead the team. But here’s a key stat, Cook and Perkins averaged only 3 assists per game between them last season. That must improve by two fold for the Cougars to have a decent season.
Three point shooting was very weak last season, both Cook and Perkins made about 45 each, but neither shot 30% this must improve. But there’s no lack of effort from these two, they are both fine defensive players.
Sage Romberg, is a 6-1 Frosh who could play the 4 also. She is their # 1 recruit and should play quite a bit. She averaged 11 rebounds per game as a Sr and scored over 2,000 points in her High School career.
Katie Grad is a 5-8 3rd year Soph. Grad missed her frosh season with an injury. Last season she was the only Cougar to shot better than 30% on her threes, while making more than 10. OK she made 12, still they need the three point skill. She played every game and averaged 4 points per game.
Ireti Amojo is a 5-10 2nd year frosh who played one game, 19 minutes last year before a season ending injury. She scored 7 points and hit a three.
Point Guards:
Rosetta Adzusu the 5-5 JC transfer should be the starter. April Cook will also play here.
FORECAST:
A tough pre season schedule for a team that only won 8 games last season then the tough top half of the Pac 10 means that an improved WSU team still might only win 12 or so games. Still I think they will be the most improved team in the Pac 10.
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