SMC Basketball: Belles look to send seniors out with win
By: JOE HETTLER
Sports Writer
Saint Mary's does not want to remember the last time they faced Kalamazoo. In late January the Belles traveled to Kalamazoo and came back with a 74-51 conference loss.
This time the game is at Saint Mary's, it's the seniors' last regular season home game and the Belles want revenge.
But, for the Belles to get their revenge, they need to accomplish a few goals, one of which is trying to contain Kalamazoo's Nikki Grubb.
"They have a transfer that came in, she's a fifth year senior, Nikki Grubb, who just had a really good game against us," said head coach Suzanne Smith. "They just put on the defensive pressure a little bit, and we just weren't ready to handle it. We just have to be stronger with the ball and more confident."
The Belles will also need to rebound better which they have struggled with for most of the season. Heading into this weekend's final game, the Belles are dead last in the conference in rebounding.
"What should help is that we have a lot more height than they do," said Smith. "They are a little bit quicker, which is what hurt us last time. So we should have some height, so [we can] hopefully work the ball inside and be able to get the rebound."
Kalamazoo presents another problem in that they lead the conference in 3-point shooting and field goal percentage.
Saint Mary's will try to neutralize Kalamazoo's outside shooting by getting the ball to their two top scores, senior co-captain Anne Blair and freshman forward Emily Creachbaum. Blair is coming off of a 22 point, 10-for-16 shooting performance Wednesday versus Albion.
For seniors Blair, Jamie Dineen and Elizabeth Linkous, it will be their last home game as Saint Mary's basketball players. Everyone on the team wants to send the girls out as winners.
All Sports Stories for Friday, February 15, 2002
