Margenthaler's first Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team will get early start on practices

First-year Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach Ty Margenthaler will take advantage of a relatively new NCAA rule to get an early jump on working with his new team.

Southeast's first official practice will be Sunday under the rule, implemented last year, that allows Division I women's squads to begin practice 40 days before their first game. They still are allowed only 30 practices, the same as under the old system that had practice starting Oct. 15.

"I like it," said Margenthaler, whose team opens the season Nov. 11 at North Carolina State. "I like that you don't have to rush and get everything put in right away. You can take a day off here and there.

"As a coach, it feels like you can have time to get everything in that you want to do. You can spread things out more. It's a long season."

Margenthaler said he has been pleased with the Redhawks during the limited individual workouts that the NCAA allows and now is looking forward to seeing his entire roster together on a consistent basis.

"They've been working extremely hard. They're buying into what we're trying to do," Margenthaler said. "We have a good core group and I've been pleased with them."

The Redhawks play one exhibition game, Nov. 7 at the Show Me Center against Harris-Stowe, before opening at North Carolina State. Their first regular-season home contest is Nov. 21 against Mississippi.

Another commit

Southeast's women received a second verbal commitment this week, from a high school senior in Louisville, Ky.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that 5-foot-10 guard Kara Wright plans to play for the Redhawks. The newspaper said she was also considering fellow Ohio Valley Conference programs Austin Peay and Jacksonville Sate.

Wright averaged 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season for a strong Manual High School team that features at least three other Division I recruits.

Jackson High School senior guard Dru Haertling committed to the Redhawks last week.

The NCAA's early signing period begins in mid-November. Margenthaler is prohibited by NCAA regulations from commenting on recruits until they sign letters of intent.