The Emporia State women’s “train-track” offense has been de-railed.
And no one is happier about that than ESU coach Brandon Schneider.
“Sometimes you’ve got to get off the train tracks and look to go make plays,” Schneider said. “For the most part, I feel like our entire team has been doing a better job of that.”
Three games ago, Schneider criticized his team for its “train-track” offense, saying the Lady Hornets were simply circling passes around the perimeter as if the ball couldn’t go anywhere else in a 61-54 loss to Washburn.
The coach said his team needed more aggression. He said the Lady Hornets needed to find a way to attack the defense instead of being content to pass on the outside of it.
In the last two games, Schneider has seen a dramatic improvement.
The Lady Hornets scored 92 points in a 30-point victory against Pittsburg State and 98 in a 37-point win against Truman.
ESU had only scored 90 points one other time this season before the last two contests.
A lot of the success can be attributed to the Lady Hornets’ tempo. Schneider has challenged his players to push up the floor on the opponent’s makes and misses, and the fast-paced style instantly transformed ESU into a better scoring team.
The up-and-down game also allows the coach to utilize his bench, as nine players logged 15 minutes or more in ESU’s last game against Truman.
“I just think we have too many people that can run the floor, too many people that can make plays,” Schneider said. “We have a lot of weapons that we weren’t necessarily utilizing. I think our depth is a key for us.”
Another positive sign for ESU is that All-American Michelle Stueve hasn’t felt the pressure to score over the last two games.
That’s not to say Stueve hasn’t been getting points. She had 19 against PSU and 20 against Truman, but the senior has been more selective with shots, remaining patient to let the offense come to her.
“I feel like it has worked like that,” Stueve said. “That’s something we’ve kind of stressed and we’re trying to work on.”
ESU’s next test comes Saturday on the road against Central Missouri — a team the Lady Hornets should be wary of.
UCM has lost its last nine conference games, but history would seem to be on the Jennies’ side.
Not only did UCM upset ESU in Warrensburg, Mo., last year, the Jennies also have Lady-Hornet nemesis Dave Slifer as coach.
Slifer comes in with a respectable 4-6 record against ESU while at UCM. Overall, he is 14-25 when facing the Lady Hornets.
Senior guard Lindsey Maple leads UCM, averaging 17.6 points per game.
Hornet men to face challenge
With their latest victory, the ESU men once again find themselves back in the thick of the MIAA race.
The Hornets, at 2-3 in the conference, are locked in a seven-way tie for fourth place in the 10-team league.
ESU’s task won’t be easy Saturday, taking on the 10-4 Mules, who are ranked 20th in the nation in scoring defense (62.2 points allowed per game).
Scoring in the 60s, however, might not even cause ESU to blink an eye.
The offensive-minded Hornets found a different way to win on Wednesday, playing solid defense in a 67-57 victory over Truman.
“I’ll score 60, I’ll score 40, I’ll score 50,” ESU guard Wes Book said, “as long as we keep getting wins.”
The Hornets lost their last meeting against the Mules in the UCM Multipurpose Building, falling 88-79.
UCM has won 30 straight home games since suffering a loss to ESU in the 2005-06 season.
The Mules three players average in double figures: junior guard Joe Young (13.6 points per game), senior forward Kevin Wollbrinck (11.1 ppg) and sophomore forward Tremaine Luellen (10.2 ppg).
ESU is led by DeAndre Townsend, who is still tops in the conference with a 20.1 points-per-game scoring average.
cyberspace (anonymous) says...
I hope both the ladies and men can turn their seasons around. So far, both have had disappointing seasons. Especially when you consider where they were both ranked at the start of the season. I guess it goes to show you how wrong the pundits and prognosticators can be. Don't rank 'em until they've played 'em!
January 19, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beth (anonymous) says...
So being 11-4 and ranked 19th in the country is a disappointing season??? I guess that just goes to show the high expectations the Lady Hornets have to live with.
AS for the men, all seven of their losses come to teams with at least eight wins and they just won at Central Missouri to break the Mules 31 game home court winning streak.
There is plenty of time for both teams to "turn their seasons around>"
January 19, 2008 at 11:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )