Belles look to rebound
By JOE LINDSLEY
With seven games left in the regular season, the Saint Mary's basketball team is trying to recover from two consecutive losses, including a 74-51 defeat at Kalamazoo Wednesday night.
Coach Suzanne Smith cancelled Thursday's practice to give her team, 6-12 overall and 2-5 in MIAA play, an opportunity to rest some minor physical injuries, as well as to get mentally ready for Saturday's contest at Albion.
"I just think we need to heal. We are a smaller team now, and people are playing a lot of minutes," Smith said in reference to the loss of four players over the winter break. "I think more than anything we just need to get mentally ready for the second half of conference play."
But the loss of those players, according to Smith, has not been a factor in the Belles' recent losses.
"To be honest, I'm sick of talking about [losing the players]. It's done and over with. We've moved on," she said.
Certain players, especially sophomore Katie Miller, have stepped up to lead the Belles after the exodus of sorts. Miller led Saint Mary's with 13 points against Kalamazoo, and was a great asset to her team in the close game versus Adrian last Saturday.
Also, in many ways, the team seems to be just as united as before.
"I was just talking to a few of them who went to lunch together. They're definitely still focused. They know we have the talent. It's just a matter of pulling it all together," Smith said.
It seems that the Belles' major weakness at the start of Wednesday's game was a lack of assertiveness, not a lack of depth.
"I don't think we came out with the same intensity after coming off a good game with Adrian," said Smith of the Kalamazoo game. "[I'm] not at all pleased with [Wednesday] night's performance."
After Thursday's day of rest, Smith expects the Belles to be ready to beat Albion for the second time this season. The major difference this time, though, is that the game is at Albion, and the Belles have difficulty winning on the road.
Nevertheless, the Belles are optimistic.
"We're excited. I know they're going to come out wanting to get us because we beat them here on January 2nd, so they're going to want revenge. They played awful that game. But I also think it gives us a little bit of an edge, knowing that we beat them once," Smith said.
Albion narrowly upset previously undefeated Hope College Wednesday night, breaking Hope's 39 game winning streak. But Hope was without its best player, who is out for an injury for five weeks.
Despite the fact that a win would be warmly welcomed by this Belles squad, Smith does not consider Saturday's meeting with Albion a must-win game.
"There are three games I look at as a must-win situation, and four that we would to like get one of those, and Albion is one of those four," she said.
The "must-win" games are home games verse Alma and Calvin, as well as an away game at Olivet. The Belles' goal for the remainder of the season is to beat these three teams plus at least one additional squad.
While the outlook for the rest of the season is positive, the past few months have had many struggles, as well as great moments, for the Belles.
"[The season] has had its ups and downs. There have definitely been moments when you feel really good about things, and then there are moments when you wonder `OK, are we going anywhere?'" said Smith.
The Belles hope they will not have to wonder about their direction Saturday night.
All Sports Stories for Friday, January 25, 2002
