Reunion, redemption and recognition await the Lady Bulldog basketball team this season.
First, the reunion: the 2004-05 Lady Dawgs will host three former players currently playing for the Houston Jaguars tonight at 7 p.m. in The Hump.
Four year All-American LaToya Thomas, classmate Renea Jones and LaCharlotte Smith will compete against the Maroon and White in State’s first of two exhibition games.
Head coach Sharon Fanning, in her 10th season at MSU’s helm, hopes her current squad exhibits the attributes that helped MSU knock off nine of its last 14 opponents.
“If this team didn’t have any character, it couldn’t have finished the way it did,” Fanning said. “Beating Florida was huge.”
The late-season surge was not enough for MSU to turn around a 5-10 start due to injuries and tough nonconference games. State missed postseason for the first time in seven years.
Now, the redemption: after journeying across the country for contests with Baylor, South Alabama, New Orleans, Louisiana Tech and Santa Barbara, those teams will all visit The Hump this season.
“This year’s schedule is a flip-flop of that. It’s the best schedule that’s ever been in Starkville in terms of number of games and quality of opponents,” Fanning said. “You have eight teams that were ranked in the Top 20 or so at the end of last season.”
With the exception of a win at New Orleans, the Lady Dawgs lost the other games, including an 88-45 loss at Baylor that is still in the mind of the Lady Dawgs.
“We know we are better than that,” Rebecca Kates said. “We will match up with them better now.”
Most importantly, the recognition: the Lady Dawgs were picked to tie with Mississippi for seventh place in the conference, but hope to surpass that mark.
Tan White finished second in the conference in scoring last season, notching her third straight selection to the All-SEC team.
White will have help in the backcourt from Tiania Burns, who averaged 14 points in her first season in Maroon and White.
After injuries held Doceide Warren to just 15 minutes a game last year, Fanning expects Warren to help State’s depth at guard.
Kates will once again see action in the low post, along with Mamie McKinney and Blessing Chekwa.
“Tan, Rebecca, Tiania, Doceide, Mamie, Blessing-those six really understand the system,” Fanning said. “They are multiple in defenses and offenses. Once you get past that, you look at who’s going to back up in the post.”
“At this time you’ve got Alex (Alexandria Hagler) and Shorty (Chalandra Hilliard) and Tasha (Natasha Henderson). Shorty gave us some minutes in some key games,” Fanning said. “She surely understands the game.”
One other forward, Orshi Kriegel, a transfer from Hungary, will join the team when the volleyball season is over.
Senior Ebonie Ferguson and freshmen Miayorka Johnson, Amy Reeder and Maribeth Willoughby will vie for minutes at the guard position.
Sophomore Sarah Johnson has been practicing with the team, but must sit out this season after transferring from Louisiana Tech.