LAWTON – The Cameron women's basketball team begins their highly anticipated 2021-22 season with a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference members this weekend in the Aggie Gym.
The Aggie women have high hopes heading into the new season and the Cameron faithful get an early look at the squad as they host Adams State on Friday night and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Saturday.
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1. After a trip to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional last spring, the Aggies were picked to finish fourth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, their highest ranking since joining the league.
2. Cameron returns three All-Conference players including two-time first team selection Maighan Hedge, who is one of the top returning players in the league and the nation, averaging 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 steals last season.
3. CU's recruiting class features three Oklahoma High School basketball stars, as Chelsea Lazenby, Korie Allensworth, and Jenni Beebe were all 1,000-point scorers (Lazenby and Allensworth scored over 2,000 points) and All-State selections in their respective classes, joining teammate Katie King.
4. Adams State, a 4-10 team a year ago, have already notched their first win of the season, beating Northern New Mexico 68-51 on Nov. 5; both Kayla Harris and Kaitlyn Bell had double-doubles in the win.
5. UC-Colorado Springs was picked 11th in the Rockey Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Poll after going 5-12 last season, but return five letterwinners and have added 11 new players.
ABOUT THE AGGIES
On paper, the Aggies are poised for a breakout season. They were picked to finish fourth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, they return three All-Conference players and four of their top-5 scorers from last season, and have added talented pieces over the offseason. In the sixth year under head coach
Emma Andrews, CU still has a lot to prove despite making a trip to the South Central Regional last season. In 2020-21, the Aggies got off to a slow start, going 3-5 during the first two months of the season. From February on, thanks to a switch up in tempo and defense, they went 8-3, including a six-game winning streak to start the month and three wins against top-10 ranked opponents. Cameron's offense was one of the top in the LSC last season, scoring nearly 70 points per game, and despite giving up around the same number on defense, their 11.1 steals per outing was 19th best in all of Division II.
Hedge leads the group of returners, ranking third in points, fifth in assists, and 12th in steals in the LSC a year ago. She is joined in the backcourt by
Katie King,
Stephanie Peterson and
Logan Collyer, all of which averaged over 1.4 steals per game in 2020-21. Peterson also led the Aggies in rebounding, and will be aided down low by
Whitney Outon and
LaKya Leslie who both had double-double potential. Newcomers
Korie Allensworth and
Jenni Beebe should also provide help on both sides of the floor, as will
Chelsea Lazenby and returner
Karley Miller, who had a breakout game when she scored 18 points against MSU in the first round of the LSC Tournament.
SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
Already with a win on their resume for the new year, Adams State is coming off a 4-10 season where they averaged right around 60 points and gave up 70 to their opponents. Defense was a struggle all season, giving up a .433 opposing field goal percentage, but they locked down from three, holding teams to a 33.3 percent clip from long range. They matched their opposition with around seven made triples per outing with a 34.3 percent clip. Like Cameron, they did a good job of pressuring the ball, forcing 20.3 turnovers per outing with an average of 11.2 steals.
ASU returns leading scorer Laura Gutierrez, who averaged 11.7 points and 1.5 steals a year ago. The Grizzlies also return the previously mentioned Bell, who at 6-foot-4 proves as a mismatch down low, averaging 4.9 rebounds and nearly one block per game. Elaina Watson, Harris, and Angeline Nageak are all players CU needs to keep an eye out for on Friday.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
UC-Colorado Springs went 5-12 last season, scoring just 58 points per game while giving up an average of 66 to their opposition. However, their post defense proved to be strong, blocking an average of 4.3 shots, second most in the RMAC, and holding teams to a .388 shooting percentage from the floor. Ball handling was not their strength, giving up the rock 17.6 times per game, compared to 14.9 turnovers forced on average.
Despite bringing in 11 new players, the Mountain Lions do bring back a few stout defenders as Ellie Moore blocked 16 shots in 17 games last season and Jessica Nation added 13. Bo Shaffer averaged 1.5 steals per outing in 2021, which ranked in the top-15 of the conference.
WHO HAS NEXT:
Following their opening weekend against the two RMAC schools, the Aggies have a rare early-season, non-conference battle against rival Midwestern State on Tuesday, Nov. 16, in the Aggie Gym. The two met last in the first round of the LSC Tournament and were picked fourth and fifth in this season's conference preseason poll.
