First a word about Oregon State’s schedule which wasn’t released until recently. Weak. Again, coaches have their eyes on 20 wins and job security, so they schedule accordingly. Rice and Pepperdine are the toughest non league games for Oregon State. Other than that very weak. Also the Beavers are helped by not playing the Arizona schools or LA schools twice this season.
Arizona finished 5th in the Pac 10 last season at 10-8 and 21-12 overall. They played and lost a close first game in the post season WNIT. Attendance was up, averaging 2,000 a game. Since Head Coach Niya Butts was hired, the Wildcats have improved from 12 wins in year one to 14 wins to 21 wins. In Pac 10 play the Wildcats have improved from 4 to 6 to 10 wins.
Sue Darling returns for her 4th year as an Assistant Coach, focusing on the Offense. Brandy Manning also returns for his 4th season, focusing on the Defense and post players.
EC Hill joins the staff replacing Chance Lindley who is now the Head Coach at Nebraska-Omaha. Hill coached the past 6 years at her alma mater, Northern Illinois. She will focus on perimeter players.
Losses:
Not only did Arizona lose 5 players, they lost 2 recruits. Huge loses as they include the Wildcats 3 of the top 5 scorers and 2 of the top 4 rebounders. Ify Ibekwe graduated and with her goes not only 16 points and 10 rebounds a game and she was one of the greatest players in Arizona history. Soana Lucent also graduated and she averaged 12 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Graduating and not returning despite having a potential 5th year is Brooke Jackson. Jackson averaged 7 points per game and was 2nd on the team with 46 threes and hit at 37%. Also graduating were Tasha Dickey and Amanda Pierson who were the 9th and 10th players in most stats and minutes played.
Two recruits are not on the roster for this season. Kama Griffitts is a 6-0 wing who scored 21.5 points per game for her National JC Championship team and she was MVP of the National Tournament. She had 72 threes two years ago as a JC frosh.
Jazmyn Dorsett, Tony’s daughter, who due to transfer from Oklahoma State and is not on the roster.
Returning Players:
Only 5 return and along with 6 recruits makes for a small roster of 11. Guard Davellyn Whyte leads the group of returning players and she’s very good.
All Pac 10, Whyte averaged 16 points and 5 rebounds per game. She led the team with 66 threes, although she needs to improve on her 31% from three. Whyte is a 5-11 Jr.
Point Guard Shanita Arnold is a 5-5 Sr who averaged 5 assists and 7 points per game. Her assist to turnover ration was a fine 1.5: 1.
Three players all averaged about 17 minutes per game and were the 6 to 8 players, or the first 3 off the bench. Erica Barnes is a 6-2 Soph Forward who averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds per game. Reiko Thomas is a 5-8 Sr Guard who averaged 4 points per game. Candice Wathen is a 5-5 So Point Guard who averaged 4 points per game and had a plus assist to turnover ratio.
New Players:
There is a great need for a post player and a big wing to step in and start. Aley Rohde is a 6-5 Frosh Center, ranked # 123 last season in High School, by one group, # 77 by another and the # 9 Center by a third. She had games of 37 points, 23 rebounds, and 12 blocked shots.
Lindsey Fearing is a 5-8 Jr, a JC transfer. Fearing made 199 threes in her 2 JC years, including 113 last season. Having only one returning post player, hitting threes will be important for the Wildcats.
Erin Butler is a 5-11 frosh guard, ranked # 210 last season.
Cheshi Poston is a 6-2 Jr and a JC transfer. She was a JC All American averaging 13 points and 11.5 rebounds per game last season.
Layana White is a 5-8 frosh guard who averaged 14 points per game last season in High School.
Cheylene Harper is a 6-2 Jr and a JC transfer who averaged 4 points and 5 rebounds per game last season at the JC.
The Schedule:
New Mexico, New Mexico State, Syracuse and BYU highlight their non conference schedule. The Wildcats play Stanford and Cal once.
The Season:
The Wildcats lost some quality players and with 3 of their newcomers JC transfers they are not really rebuilding. Davellyn Whyte is a wonderful player but she and maybe Erica Barnes are the only players who might be expected to regularly score in double figures. The JC transfers must contribute right away. It’s going to be very hard to remain in the upper half of the Pac 12.
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