ESU women to face familiar foe in weekend tournament
By Jesse Newell
Originally published 06:00 a.m., November 22, 2007
Updated 02:07 p.m., November 21, 2007
Michelle Stueve can promise one thing as the Emporia State women’s basketball team heads into this weekend’s Cameron Thanksgiving Classic in Lawton, Okla.
The third-ranked Lady Hornets won’t be surprised by the Cameron Aggies the second time around.
ESU struggled against the athletic Aggies in the season-opener a week ago, falling behind 30-17 with 6:19 left in the first half before rebounding for an 81-63 victory.
“We were prepared, we just didn’t come out aggressive,” said Stueve, ESU’s senior All-American. “It’s going to be at their place, their tournament. It’s going to be all the more incentive for them to win. They knew they were with us (last week), so we’re going to have to be a lot more aggressive and polish up some defense.”
No doubt, Cameron has the full attention of ESU coach Brandon Schneider.
“We need to be better everywhere,” Schneider said. “I think when you play them on a neutral floor or at their place, it’s dead-even or they have the advantage.”
So what went wrong in the first matchup with Cameron?
For one, ESU struggled early offensively, going 8 1/2 minutes without a field goal during one first-half stretch.
“They were bigger,” ESU forward Allie Renberg said, “and maybe that kind of threw some of us off as newcomers.”
The Lady Hornets finally turned it around toward the end of the first half, helped by 34 points and a school-record 9-of-10 three-point shooting performance from guard Cassondra Boston.
ESU went on a 13-4 run to tie the score at the break, then posting a 10-1 spurt in the second half to grab a 10-point cushion.
The team had many of the same things occur in its second game against Texas Woman’s University.
The Lady Hornets had difficulties scoring through most of the first half before turning it on in the final 25 minutes.
“We quit playing desperation offense,” Schneider said. “For a while, it was just, ‘OK, nothing’s going for us. Cassondra, it’s in your hands. Go make something happen.’
“It’s good that you have players capable of doing that, but I think it’s foolish to rely on it.”
So far, ESU has leaned heavily on its top two players.
Boston has averaged 25 points through two games, while Stueve has had 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per outing.
Schneider said he hoped that players like Renberg and Alli Volkens would help take some of the scoring load.
Renberg has shown the ability to be able to do that. The junior-college transfer had 19 points and nine rebounds against Texas Woman’s University.
ESU also should get a lift by getting back Brittney Miller, who played in her first game Saturday after the end of the Hornet volleyball season.
Though she had only practiced with the team a handful of times, the freshman scored six points on 3-of-3 shooting against Texas Woman’s.
ESU’s second game in the Classic will be Saturday against 1-1 Central Oklahoma.
The Lady Hornets’ main concern in that game will be Lizzie Brenner, who averaged 28.5 points and 17.5 rebounds in games against Southwest Baptist and Pittsburg State last weekend.
First things first, though, and that means preparing to face a Cameron team the Lady Hornets already know is a strong opponent.
“I think knowing what we’re up against, we’ll be a lot more prepared this time,” Renberg said.