Belles looking to lance Knights
By HEATER VAN HOEGARDEN
Sports Writer
The Saint Mary's basketball team has had its share of struggles of late, dropping five of their last six games. However, tonight's trip to Grand Rapids, Mich. may be what the Belles need to change their luck. They face the Knights of Calvin (10-5, 1-3) in a key MIAA conference matchup.
Kim Wolthuis leads the Knights in scoring, averaging 10 points on 51 percent shooting from the field. Another key contributor has been Emily Beard, (8.7 points, 8.9 rebounds). The Knights, like the Belles, have struggled in conference play, losing to Albion, Kalamazoo, and, most recently, Hope. The Knights' sole conference win, like the Belles', came against Olivet.
Saint Mary's, meanwhile, looks for a much-needed victory on the road, as the Belles are only 2-8 on the road this season due to a tough road schedule.
Regardless, Wednesday's conference game is crucial for the Belles.
"It is absolutely a must-win game," Belles coach Suzanne Bellina said. "We have lost a lot of games that we knew we should have won."
The matchup promises to be an exciting one, as the Knights defeated the Belles at Angela last year on Parents' Day, 52-51, after handily beating the Belles earlier in the season. And after such a narrow defeat last year, Saint Mary's is looking for revenge.
"We have already talked about last year's game," Bellina said. "Once again, we should have won."
Strategically speaking, Saint Mary's will look to mix up its defenses to keep the well-balanced Knights guessing. Wolthuis is the only Knight who averages double digits in scoring.
"One big thing is to mix up our defenses," Bellina said. "Our go-to defense is definitely man, but sometimes to give ourselves a mental break, we can play zone, half-court trap, or press."
Defense will be key for the Belles if they want a key MIAA victory on the road.
"We want to keep them on their toes," said Bellina.
Offensively, Saint Mary's has been led by the inside-outside tandem of Emily Creachbaum and Bridget Boyce. Both have played well of late, despite the team's struggles.
Saint Mary's and Calvin tip off at 7:30 at Calvin Fieldhouse in Grand Rapids, Mich.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, January 22, 2003
