"14 in 14" Preview #2: UMass Minutewomen

It was a trying time in Amherst for head coach Sharon Dawley and UMass last season, as they won just one conference game, then fell in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament to George Mason. But they do return two important starters and bring in a half-dozen new players, plus new assistant coach Yolanda Griffith, a former WNBA Defensive Player of The Year and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, as the Minutewomen look to climb the ranks of the Atlantic 10.

Team: UMass Minutewomen
Head Coach: Sharon Dawley (5th season)
2013-14 Record: 4-27 (1-15 in A-10)
Returning Starters:
--Kim Pierre-Louis (6' senior forward): 14.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg
--Emily Mital (5' 8" senior guard): 8.4 ppg, 9th in 3-pt shooting percentage (36.6%)

1) What did you and your team learn about mentality and mindset through last season?

Dawley: "I think the most important thing you can do is have a mentality of "next play", "next series", "next game". We had some quality games last year, but we couldn't get past the "what if". If we had grabbed a couple (of wins) early, I think it would have catapulted us into a lot more wins, so I think everybody, head coach, players, coaches, it's "next play".

2) When trying to break through in the Atlantic 10, does that make the non-conference slate that much more important?

Dawley: "It's huge. Our non-conference is huge because that's the only way we'll be ready to battle in the A-10. You know, our conference is so strong, so mature, it's going to take a great non-conference, maybe not undefeated, but great battles, and learning "next play", and learning to stick together and learning that it will come. We need a great non-conference experience to get us to the A-10."

UMass finished at #127 in strength of schedule last year. The non-conference slate begins with a trip to Michigan to face both Western Michigan (November 14) and Central Michigan (November 16) before their home opener November 19th vs. Maine. A date with the ACC's Florida State looms on November 23rd, and the Minutewomen will usher in the holidays at the Georgia State Tournament December 19th and 20th, facing Georgia State and Ohio.

The Minutewomen will have twelve games before A-10 play begins January 3rd at St. Bonaventure.

3) Is there more that can be done to make opponents fear a trip to Amherst?

Dawley: "I think, as a program, we need to strengthen our resume, and then people will fear coming to Massachusetts. But until you have that resume, you're not feared. It doesn't matter where you are."

4) Who's handling the load this season?

Dawley: "We have a lot of leaders, both in the senior and junior class, probably five or six of them that we lean on for different things. As for production, right away, Kim Pierre-Louis. She's going to be very productive and we need her to be. Rashida Timbilla, a junior, (8.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg in 25 starts, 28 games), a phenomenal player, could play any position on the floor. We need her to step up, and she has to score for us. Points, from day one, we need Kim and Rashida to carry a lot of the burden, but leadership, that's spread around."

Dawley says she expects production from her incoming freshman, including the possibility of one to crack the starting lineup. She's hoping for an 8-9 player rotation. Dawley also says the non-conference season will be key to the maturation of redshirt junior point guard Amber Dillon, who Dawley hopes can be a consistent floor general for UMass this season.

OUTLOOK: Nothing will come easy in Amherst this year. The twelve games before league play will create a more battle-tested team, but Dawley will know much more about her team by January 18th, when she will have faced Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia, and rising star George Washington at home. There's plenty of reason to believe the Minutewomen will win more than just one conference game. But the reality is, every win will have to be well-earned, with excellent execution. UMass is in the bottom group with George Mason and Rhode Island trying to crack into the Top 10 in league standings. We'll see what happens.