For Skyhawk head coach Kevin McMillan, it’s a lot more than picking up the pieces from last year and turning it into another Ohio Valley Conference championship team.
In fact, when you’re missing the two biggest pieces that helped you win four straight OVC titles, hopes for a fifth look very slim. The Skyhawks women’s basketball team is faced with that this year, but if you ask McMillan, he’s already looking toward the future.
“Replacing that leadership and replacing the day-to-day work ethic is probably going to be the biggest challenge that we have right now,” said McMillan. “Now were just trying to figure out which pieces of the puzzle we’ve got and where they all fit.”
McMillan’s squad is coming off of one of the best seasons in UTM women’s basketball history. Going 24-8 and 15-1 in the OVC helped them notch an OVC regular season and tournament championship. The Skyhawks were one of the top scoring teams in the country, averaging 83.8 points per game. They also lead the OVC in assists (16 per game), steals (10.3 per game) and 3-point baskets (9.1 per game).
Those numbers will be hard to match this season without the duo of Heather Butler and Jasmine Newsome, but the Skyhawks will have some key players returning from last year’s team to help combat the loss.
Sophomore Ashia Jones comes into this season as the returning OVC Freshman of the Year. Jones averaged 13.1 points per game as well as 6.3 rebounds per game. Jones also led the OVC in field goal percentage (.585) and was fourth in blocks per game (1.0). Jones was named to the OVC’s preseason All-Conference team during OVC media day.
“I think she would be the one you build around, and so far in practice she’s kind of made that statement,” said McMillan. “Hopefully she’s going to keep continuing to grow and mature and get better as a player, and then kind of take on some of that leadership that has been left from that senior class.”
Katie Schubert is another starter UTM is returning this season. The 5-foot-11 junior was a good long range shooter for the Skyhawks, averaging 2.0 3-pointers per game and was second in the OVC behind Butler in 3-point percentage (.448).
“3-point shooting from her should be a key for us as well as some of the newcomers and some of the returners as well,” said McMillan.
Shai Warfield-Cross also returns, starting 10 of the last 12 games for UTM and played in 28 games last season.
“She’s the third of the crew that we’re going to be looking to fill that hole,” said McMillan. “I think that is probably the biggest thing for her is where we’re going to fit her in and where she can help our team be the best it can be. It could be running the whole team and she has that ability.”
With a twelve-man roster this season, McMillan stressed the importance of making sure everyone from the returners to the newcomers can come together this season.
“There’s only twelve kids on this team in all, so everybody’s going to have to contribute,” said McMillan.
The Skyhawks will begin their quest for their fifth straight OVC title Friday Nov. 14 when they host Southern Illinois. UTM will also host Cincinnati and Chattanooga and will travel to schools like Alabama, Missouri, Arizona and Louisville. The Skyhawks will also take part in the Iowa Hawkeye Challenge, a four team tournament consisting of Dayton, Iowa, and Pepperdine. The Skyhawks will begin conference play Jan. 3 and will lead up to the OVC Tournament, taking place Mar. 4-7.
