VicSchaefer is the real deal. The first-year women’s basketball coach picked up his first SEC win Sunday over Ole Miss in impressive fashion.
After losing its first six conference games, the team beat the Rebels by 15 in the most exciting women’s basketball game I have witnessed at the Hump.
Schaefer, who has one national championship under his belt, had the perfect game plan Sunday: get the ball to the post. He didn’t try to do anything fancy; he just did what was working, and it kept working.
Fans often criticize women’s games for being too boring, slow and uneventful. I’m not trying to say I was watching the Heat vs. the Thunder on Sunday or rant and say here are the reasons you should go to all the women’s games; however, I was  impressed with our team and its execution Sunday and think these girls have a bright future.
Hardly ever do you see any team bring the ball down the court, work it around the perimeter then make a nice entry pass to the post for an easy bucket, but the Lady Dogs did this over and over again. This is a lost art in any basketball league, men’s and women’s.
Although this year looked to be a rebuilding season as Schaefer implemented his coaching style, the team has all the parts it needs to be a contender in the SEC.
Starting in the post, sophomores Martha Alwal and Carnecia Williams possess the ability to dominate the paint every game. At 6’4″ and 6’3″, opponents feel the duo’s presence anytime they get near the paint.
Offensively, Alwal is tough to handle and will continue to get tougher and improve her post moves. Williams, on the other hand, is one of the most skilled post players I’ve seen. Her athleticism shows in her ability to get past girls her size and score right over smaller players.
Two more years of coaching for those girls, along with the addition of 6’1″ freshman Sherise Williams, and State’s post game could be one of the best in the league.
But the post players can’t score if they can’t get the ball. The Lady Bulldog guards impressed me with their ability to make post entry passes at the right time. Rarely did they force a pass inside; rather, they were patient and let the game come to them.
Junior point guard Katia May took over Sunday’s game, controlling the offense and breaking the Rebel press at ease the majority of the time. And if State needed a big play, she either found the open player or stepped up and hit a jumper herself. She showed leadership and relentless effort throughout the game, two key qualities for a point guard.
Sophomore shooting guard Kendra Grant can do just that: shoot. She is shooting .362 percent from the field and .412 percent from beyond the arc this year. She can create her own shot off the dribble or pull up for a jumper outside. Most importantly, Grant possesses that killer instinct to really put teams away at the end of games.
Among Darriel Gaynor, Candace Foster and Jerica James, State has three talented utility guards who can do whatever the team needs. Whether it’s lockdown defense, a big three or handling the ball, these three can make big plays and step up when needed.
Out of all these players, Gaynor is the lone senior, so Schaefer will be returning the majority of his team. I credit the solid play of the Dogs to Schaefer. He has them playing a simple style of basketball but one that is rarely seen these days and usually works.
If the team has improved this much in less than a year with Schaefer, I can’t wait to see the strides the girls will have made by next year. I know I’m going out on a limb, but the MSU women’s basketball team could be scary good next year.