Southeast women to debut in exhibition

Southeast will have 11 new players on its roster when it faces Christian Brothers University tonight.

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian

Because of so many new faces, Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach B.J. Smith believes his team's two exhibition contests are more important this year than in most seasons.

Smith is anxious to see his squad in a game setting, and he'll get his first chance tonight when Christian Brothers University from Memphis, Tenn., visits the Show Me Center for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

Southeast closes out its exhibition schedule Friday night against visiting Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and opens the regular season Nov. 19 at Oklahoma.

"With so many new people, these exhibitions are really important to us this year," Smith said. "And they get tired of practicing against each other. It's about time to go up against somebody else."

Southeast returns just four players -- and only one starter -- from last year's team that went 16-13 overall, finished fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference at 10-6 and lost in the semifinals of the OVC tournament. Eleven new players dot Southeast's roster.

"I really like our talent. I think this is the most talented team we've had, and I think our other two teams were pretty talented," said Smith, in his third season at Southeast after previously coaching junior college powerhouse Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. "Our biggest concern is getting everybody on the same page."

Southeast's four returnees are 6-foot-3 senior center Chandra Brown, 5-11 senior forward Miah Shelford, 5-7 senior guard Brandi Russia and 5-7 junior guard Tiffanne Ryan.

Brown averaged 10.3 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game last year as a starter while the other three averaged between 2.6 and 4.2 points a contest in reserve roles.

"Chandra and Brandi have both looked really good so far," Smith said.

Many of the 11 new players will likely hold the key to Southeast's season, led by junior college All-American Tatiana Conceicao, a 6-2 forward/center.

"She's what we thought she'd be," Smith said. "As far as talent, she's up there with anybody I've had, and I've had two kids go to the WNBA."

Smith said he has also been particularly impressed by another junior college transfer, 6-foot forward Natalie Purcell.

"She's better than we thought she'd be," Smith said.

Other junior college transfers are 5-7 guard Wanika Owsley, 5-3 guard Katrisha Dunn, 5-9 guard/forward Simone Jackson and 5-9 forward Jennifer Hitchman.

The five-player freshmen class consists of 6-2 center Leanne Evans, 5-10 forward Julie Sweetin, 5-9 forward Liz Sharpe-Taylor, 5-6 guard Rachel Mueggenborg and 5-5 guard Aisha Moreno.

Smith said some nagging injuries have plagued Southeast -- point guards Ryan (back) and Owsley (knee) have missed significant practice time but should be ready for the season -- but overall Smith has been satisfied with the squad's progress.

"I am pleased," he said. "We're a lot bigger and a lot more athletic than we've been."

Tonight's opponent, Christian Brothers University, is a Division II team that went 23-7 last year. Since the game won't count on Southeast's record, Smith said he's more worried about his own squad than the Buccaneers.

"We'll be a lot more concerned about ourselves, how we execute, and mainly at this time of the year our effort," he said.