"14 in 14" Preview #4: Saint Louis BIllikens

Just on the cusp of the nine-team race in the upper echelon of the Atlantic 10 standings last season were the Billikens of Saint Louis.

Finishing .500 at home in conference play (4-4) hurt, but veteran head coach Lisa Stone, starting her third season with the Billikens, enjoys a full returning starting lineup, on top of five exciting freshmen. Saint Louis is positioning themselves for a winning season in the A-10, and maybe more.

TEAM: Saint Louis Billikens
HEAD COACH: Lisa Stone (3rd season, University of Iowa '84)
2013-14 RECORD: 12-18 (7-9 in A-10)
RETURNING STARTERS:
--Erin Nelson (5' 10" sophomore forward): 14.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg
--Desirae Ball (5' 9" redshirt senior guard): 12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg
--Denisha Womack (6' 1" junior forward): 10.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg
--Jamesia Price (5' 7" redshirt junior guard): 7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
--Olivia Jakubicek (5' 10" sophomore forward): 6.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg

RVA Sports Network spoke with Stone about the Billikens' hopes for 2014-15.

1) What are your expectations for the freshman this season?

Stone: "I'm really excited. It's the first ranked recruiting class Saint Louis has ever had for women's basketball. Jackie Kemph (5' 7" guard) and Jenny Vliet (6' 2" guard) are teammates from high school (Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, IL) who played for two state championships their junior and senior year. Kemph was recruited by a number of major, major schools, chose Saint Louis with Vliet, a three-point shooter and great, great player. Both have tremendous instincts and should see significant time their freshman year.

Maddison Gits grew up in my hometown (Fitchburg, WI) and is actually best friends with my niece, so I've known her a long time. She has an unbelievable up side; she's got great size, was a tremendous volleyball player, great basketball player, averaging over 20 and 20 in high school. When she gets it, it's going to be special. Aaliyah Covington is a guard whose sister played for me at Wisconsin, so I know her family, their work ethic, and what they stand for. She's a tremendously gifted player, still working on the adjustments, but is going to give us some minutes hopefully, particularly by conference time. Then Shea Shipman, you've got to kick her out of the gym. A 6' 1" guard from Kansas City, in the gym, all the time. She'll need to pick up on defense. Overall, a nice freshman class."

2) Right now, though, does the world revolve around the likes of Ball, Nelson, and Sadie Stipanovich?

Stone: "It does. Right now, Desirae (Ball) is coming off a summer recovering from some knee clean-out at the end of last season, so she's got fifth-year senior knees, but is a player that when the lights go on, she'll be there. I trust her, I respect her, she's a leader. Nelson and Stipanovich are both from Saint Louis, so it's always great when your local players do well. Nelson was our leading scorer, Sadie was a part-time starter, and really wants to be in the mix this year, both have had good off-seasons, and they're just sophomores.

Denisha Womack is a player people kinda forget about. She had a 20 and 20 game against UMass at season's end, and is probably our most gifted player. She'll give us versatility and athleticism both in and out. And there's Jamesia Price, a three-ACL surgery girl. She's back, and is such a tough kid. You've got to be tough to blow your knee out three times, two on one, one of the other, and return. She's the one in there taking charges, grinding away, gives us an identity of toughness."

3) How do you make sure the Billikens reach the top half of the conference this year after knocking on the door last season?

Stone: "We went through a period last year when we lost a bunch of games in the middle of the season, then all of a sudden won eight of our last twelve. We got hot at the right time, but we didn't finish at the conference tournament the way we wanted to, so that stings. With young players, that's still fresh in their mind, because they want to win. Competitive practices have helped because everyone is battling for playing time. If we can take that same hunger and desire and put it on game day against a Saint Joe's, Saint Bonaventure, Fordham, Dayton, whatever, the floodgates could open. But it's a one-game-at-a-time deal. The coaches in this league are too good to know that you can't take a day off. The parity is at, I believe, an all-time high this year. It's time that A-10 women's basketball rises to the same notoriety as A-10 men's basketball."

OUTLOOK: Saint Joseph's and Saint Bonaventure can both attest to the talent at Saint Louis, as both lost to the Billikens late in the regular season. The five returning starters gave Saint Louis 50 points per contest last year. Add to them a year's experience, and an impressive crop of new players, and the Billikens, under the veteran leadership of Stone (527 career victories), could make their mark much, much higher than last year's tenth place finish.

They'll get battle tested on non-conference trips to Vanderbilt, Tulsa and Missouri, then open A-10 play on the road at George Mason January 4th, then to UMass January 7th. A road win or two early, then a victory over VCU in their home conference opener January 12th could propel them into the race. Late January presents a gauntlet, with home games with Fordham and Saint Joseph's before a trip to preseason favorite Dayton January 31st.

"14 in 14" Preview #3: Rhode Island Rams

After a 7-23 campaign and only two victories in the Atlantic 10, the University of Rhode Island made a change at the top of their women's basketball program. 

Daynia La-Force was named as the eighth head coach in program history, taking over a team with tons of experience. Five players started at least 16 games last year, and 84 percent of the team's offense production returns. Questions, though, still abound, namely, how can the returning crew mesh with the new coach, and make a run towards the upper echelon of the conference. The Rams haven't had a winning season in conference play in 19 years. The Rams are hungry.

Team: Rhode Island Rams

Head Coach: Daynia La-Force (1st season, Georgetown '95)

2013-14 Record: 7-23 (2-14 in A-10)

Returning Starters:

--Tayra Melendez (5' 11" junior guard): 13.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg

--Sam Tabakman (6' 3" junior forward): 9.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg

--Sydney Lewis (5' 11" senior guard): 6.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg

--Kallie Banker (5 10" redshirt sophomore guard): 5.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.9 apg

RVA Sports Network spoke with La-Force about her new adventure, building the Rams program.

1) What drew you to Rhode Island?

La-Force: "You know, the opportunity to rebuild. It's always been part of my niche as a basketball coach. I've been with several programs where I've learned how to successfully rebuild a program, and I saw that opportunity at Rhode Island. Especially being in the A-10, a very competitive conference, and now an opportunity to start over and be part of something great."

2) What made you choose Rhode Island specifically as opposed to other rebuilding opportunities?

La-Force: "The people at Rhode Island. I had been affiliated with some people at Rhode Island for about three years and it's a great state. It's small, but a state filled with a lot of big thinkers and passionate people. Everyone I've met over the past few years who have been affiliated with the University of Rhode Island always talked of how proud they were of the athletics program and how much support that was there. I visited a couple of times and fell in love with the Ryan Center. So, to me, it was a no-brainer to go into a situation where there was so much support."

3) How do change the mindset of the team?

La-Force: "You have to inherit young ladies who want to win, young ladies who understand the commitment it takes, passionate about winning and changing the program. If I had to come into a situation where I'd have to struggle to change the culture, it would be a lot more difficult. But they've embraced something new; they want to win so badly. I've never been around a group of young women who want to win so badly. The will to win is already there. It's now about giving them the tools and the techniques to do it."

4) Who will be your floor generals, on and off the court?

La-Force: "Our captains: Megan Straumann, who is a senior. She hasn't had a lot of success at Rhode Island, and she wants to go out with a bang. (NOTE: Straumann was limited to 15 games due to injury in 2013-14.) She will do whatever it takes to make sure this is a successful year for her and her team. She wants to leave a legacy, part of the group that first started the placing of URI on the rise, and she shows it every single day with her effort in practice."

OUTLOOK: It's very hard to change a culture, especially one that seeks a winning record in their conference for the first time in almost two decades. La-Force will also look for contributions from her freshmen, 5' 11" guards Dominique Ward and Charise Wilson, and 6' 3" forward Tylor Raysor, who she calls "the future of URI women's basketball". 

La-Force's biggest challenge is to find consistent scoring options, as only two returning players averaged nine points or higher last year. You need three good, consistent options in the A-10, with one or two more coming off the bench capable of giving a spark.

La-Force had success late in her tenure at Northeastern, named CAA Coach of the Year in 2012-13. This will take time. But if the Rhode Island supporters see some progress this year, even if it's not reflected in the overall record, they will reward with patience as the rebuilding process continues. 

The Rams begin the season with back-to-back home games against Marshall and East Carolina November 14th and 15th and begin Atlantic 10 play at home to Duquesne on January 3rd.

"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.

"14 in 14" Preview #1: Davidson, The Newest #A10 Member

Over the next two weeks, we'll be sharing portions of our conversations with Atlantic 10 women's basketball head coaches from their recent Media Day here in Richmond to get you ready for November 14th, the night 13 of 14 teams begin their new seasons.

First up, the newest member of the conference.

Team: Davidson Wildcats
Head Coach: Michele Savage (Northwestern '93, 5th season)
2013-14 Record: 16-16 (11-7 in Southern Conference)
Returning Starters:
--Dakota Dukes (6' junior forward): 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
--Hannah Early (6' 1" senior forward): 13.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg
--Shannon Eriksson (5' 7" senior guard): 5.4 ppg, 78% FT pct.)
--Lillian McCabe (6' senior guard): 4.6 ppg,

1) What is Davidson Basketball?

Savage: "We've been a successful program for the past four years in the SoCon (Southern Conference), winning the league, going to the NIT, things of that sort. It's good, fundamental basketball, that's what we are. It's going to be exciting to watch us play."

2) Are you more of a defensive-oriented team?

Savage: "Absolutely not. We have got to improve on defense, bottom line. Last year, we scored about as many points a game as we gave up. When you do that, you get 16-16. We need to dedicate and refocus on the defensive end."

3) How do you prepare your team for the Atlantic 10? It's exciting, but does it leave any questions in the back of their minds?

Savage: "I would certainly think so. We started with them (on this process) last year in the spring when the pairings came out and had them watch the three schools (Dayton, St. Joseph's, Fordham) playing in the NCAA Tournament to say, hey, this is now our competition. They came back with very good, valid points on the differences, and a lot of it was strength. So we went to the weight room, working to build our strength and not worry about how we look in shorts. It's more for safety, and being able to hold our own on the floor, and they really bought into that."

Savage explained to RVA Sports Network another big change is transitioning from a "bus league" to a "plane league", and how traveling will be a totally new experience for her squad. Whereas most Southern Conference schools are a bus trip away, life in the A-10 provides opportunities to play far away from Davidson, North Carolina in conference, from Amherst, Massachusetts to St. Louis, Missouri.

4) How about the freshman class? You certainly tried to bring new players in knowing they would be coming to an Atlantic 10 program, it had to add a new dimension to recruiting.

Savage: "It certainly does, because most of my team signed up for the SoCon, so our team motto this year is "Sacrifice". Returning players have to do a lot more, you have to sacrifice, and they've embraced it. We are expecting our freshmen to be key players; they will play a lot this first year. The opportunity for them to play in the A-10 was there, and when you're combining talent, you're trying to get the most out that you can from everybody. Players may have started at different levels, but we're trying to bring everyone up to the new level."

This will be the 42nd season of Davidson women's basketball, half of them were spent in the Southern Conference. Their last postseason win was two years ago, at Old Dominion in the first round of the WNIT.

The Wildcats have never met nine of their new conference partners. They lost their only games against Rhode Island (1995-96), Saint Joseph's (2008-09) and Richmond (last season). They are 1-2 all-time against Duquesne.

They'll get an early test of the new benchmark of strength and conditioning when they open the season on the road at former SoCon rival Furman November 14th. The Wildcats have won five of their last eight meetings with the Paladins.

The first Atlantic 10 conference game in Davidson history arrives January 4th when they host La Salle.

Preseason Conference Poll: Dayton Dominant

Only missing Cassie Sant from a team that won the Atlantic 10 regular season title, made the Tournament Final, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, the Dayton Flyers are the unanimous pick to capture the 2014-15 Atlantic 10 crown in the annual preseason coaches poll.

George Washington was picked to finish second, while defending Tournament Champion Fordham was picked fifth.

2014-15 Preseason Poll:

1) Dayton - 196 (14 first place votes)
2) George Washington - 173
3) Saint Joseph's - 156
4) St. Bonaventure - 153
5) Fordham - 143
6) Richmond - 104
7) Duquesne - 103
8) La Salle - 97
9) St. Louis - 90
10) VCU - 87
11) George Mason - 54
12) Davidson - 42
13) Rhode Island - 39
14) Massachusetts - 24

Media Day Tuesday!

Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Media Day is Tuesday, as the 2014-15 season quickly approaches!

RVA Sports Network will be there to cover the unveiling of preseason rankings, and to talk to as many of the coaches as time allows. Storylines we are following early on include:

1) Richmond Spiders Play On: After the tragic deaths of long-time associate head coach Ginny Doyle and operations director Natalie Lewis in a hot-air balloon accident in May, head coach Michael Shafer and his Spiders must prepare to play the season with heavy hearts and renewed determination.

2) New Head Coaches: Beth O'Boyle comes to VCU after a three-year stint at Stony Brook, replacing Marlene Stollings, now at the University of Minnesota. Meanwhile, Daynia La-Force comes to Rhode Island from Northeastern, looking to help the Rams become more competitive in the conference.

3) The 14th Member Arrives: Davidson becomes the newest member of the Atlantic 10, coming from the Southern Conference, where they posted a 16-16 mark last season.

We'll also track newcomers to all 14 teams, and how they're dealing with losses to graduation and more, as our in-depth coverage of Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball rolls on with our "14 Previews in 14 Days" beginning Monday, October 27th, right here!

2014-2015 A-10 Conference Schedule Released!

The Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Conference Schedule was released today by the league office, highlighted by many appearances on national television to augment the A-10's online presence through the Atlantic 10 Network.

New this year is a better start time to the March 8th Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship Final, 1pm rather than last year's 11am start. With a 14th team, Davidson, now in the fold, there will be two "opening round" games on Wednesday, March 4 at the Richmond Coliseum, up one from last season.

Here is the schedule, with networks listed where applicable. Note most start times have not been determined.

(Televised games will be on ESPNU, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) or NBC Sports Network (NBCSN). "TBA" means tip-off time has not been determined...)

Saturday, January 3
Duquesne at Rhode Island TBA
Massachusetts at St. Bonaventure TBA
VCU at Saint Joseph’s TBA

Sunday, January 4
Saint Louis at George Mason 2:00 pm NBCSN
George Washington at Dayton 3:30 pm ESPNU
Richmond at Fordham 3:30 pm CBSSN
La Salle at Davidson TBA

Wednesday, January 7
Dayton at Davidson TBA
St. Bonaventure at Richmond TBA
Saint Joseph’s at George Washington TBA
Saint Louis at Massachusetts TBA

Thursday, January 8
Fordham at La Salle TBA
George Mason at Duquesne TBA
Rhode Island at VCU TBA

Saturday, January 10
Massachusetts at Saint Joseph’s TBA
Richmond at George Washington TBA

Sunday, January 11
Fordham at St. Bonaventure 4:00 pm NBCSN
Duquesne at Dayton TBA
George Mason at La Salle TBA
Rhode Island at Davidson TBA

Monday, January 12
VCU at Saint Louis TBA

Wednesday, January 14
St. Bonaventure at George Mason TBA

Thursday, January 15
Saint Joseph’s at Fordham 7:00 pm CBSSN
Davidson at VCU TBA
George Washington at Rhode Island TBA
La Salle at Massachusetts TBA
Saint Louis at Duquesne TBA

Sunday, January 18
George Mason at Richmond 12:00 pm ESPNU
George Washington at Massachusetts 2:00 pm CBSSN
Saint Joseph’s at Duquesne 4:00 pm CBSSN
Dayton at St. Bonaventure 5:00 pm NBCSN
Davidson at Saint Louis TBA
La Salle at Rhode Island TBA
VCU at Fordham TBA

Wednesday, January 21
Duquesne at George Washington TBA
Massachusetts at Fordham TBA
Rhode Island at Dayton TBA
Richmond at Davidson TBA
Saint Louis at La Salle TBA
VCU at St. Bonaventure TBA

Saturday, January 24
Fordham at Saint Louis 2:00 or 4:00 pm CBSSN
Davidson at Duquesne TBA
Dayton at VCU TBA
George Washington at La Salle TBA
Massachusetts at Richmond TBA
Rhode Island at George Mason TBA
St. Bonaventure at Saint Joseph’s TBA

Wednesday, January 28
Dayton at Richmond TBA
Duquesne at St. Bonaventure TBA
Fordham at Davidson TBA
George Mason at VCU TBA
Saint Joseph’s at Saint Louis TBA

Friday, January 30
Richmond at Rhode Island TBA

Saturday, January 31
Duquesne at Fordham TBA
George Washington at George Mason TBA
La Salle at VCU TBA
St. Bonaventure at Massachusetts TBA
Saint Joseph’s at Davidson TBA
Saint Louis at Dayton TBA

Wednesday, February 4
La Salle at Saint Joseph’s TBA
Massachusetts at Rhode Island TBA
VCU at Richmond TBA

Thursday, February 5
Davidson at George Washington TBA
Dayton at George Mason TBA
St. Bonaventure at Fordham TBA

Saturday, February 7
Massachusetts at La Salle TBA
Saint Louis at Richmond TBA
VCU at Duquesne TBA

Sunday, February 8
Dayton at George Washington 12:00 pm CBSSN
Davidson at George Mason TBA
Fordham at Saint Joseph’s TBA
Rhode Island at St. Bonaventure TBA

Wednesday, February 11
Duquesne at La Salle TBA
George Mason at Massachusetts TBA
George Washington at Saint Louis TBA
Richmond at Dayton TBA
Saint Joseph’s at Rhode Island TBA

Saturday, February 14
Duquesne at Massachusetts TBA
La Salle at Richmond TBA
Saint Louis at Davidson TBA
VCU at George Mason TBA

Sunday, February 15
Saint Joseph’s at Dayton 12:00 pm CBSSN
Fordham at Rhode Island TBA
St. Bonaventure at George Washington TBA

Wednesday, February 18
Davidson at Massachusetts TBA
Dayton at Fordham TBA
George Mason at Saint Joseph’s TBA
George Washington at VCU TBA
Richmond at Duquesne TBA
St. Bonaventure at Saint Louis TBA

Thursday, February 19
Rhode Island at La Salle TBA

Saturday, February 21
Davidson at St. Bonaventure TBA
Fordham at George Washington TBA
George Mason at Saint Louis TBA
Richmond at Saint Joseph’s TBA

Sunday, February 22 
La Salle at Dayton TBA
Massachusetts at VCU TBA
Rhode Island at Duquesne TBA

Wednesday, February 25
Duquesne at Saint Joseph’s TBA
Fordham at George Mason TBA
La Salle at St. Bonaventure TBA
VCU at Davidson TBA

Thursday, February 26
George Washington at Richmond TBA
Massachusetts at Dayton TBA
Saint Louis at Rhode Island TBA

Sunday, March 1
Richmond at VCU 2:00 pm CBSSN
Davidson at Fordham TBA
Dayton at Saint Louis TBA
George Mason at George Washington TBA
Rhode Island at Massachusetts TBA
Saint Joseph’s at La Salle TBA
St. Bonaventure at Duquesne TBA

2015 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Tournament (Richmond Coliseum)
Wednesday, March 4
A-10 Championship Opening Round TBA A10N
Thursday, March 5
A-10 Championship First Round TBA A10N
Friday, March 6
A-10 Championship Quarterfinals TBA A10N
Saturday, March 7
A-10 Championship Semifinals 11:00 am and 1:30 pm CBSSN
Sunday, March 8
A-10 Championship Final 1:00 pm