November 17, 2005
Edition
Sylva, NC
Volume 80, No. 34

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Defending SC champs will start season on road Friday

Western Carolina’s women’s basketball team, the defending Southern Conference Tournament champions, will open their season Friday with a 5:30 p.m. game at Detroit-Mercy.

The road trip will continue Sunday with a 2 p.m. contest at Michigan State, last year’s national runner-up.

The first home game will be at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 3 against UNC-Asheville.

“We have been doing a lot of teaching with six new players in the program this year,” Coach Kellie Harper said. “We want to make sure that we have covered some fundamentals and laid the ground work before progressing into game situations.”

With six newcomers joining seven returnees, Harper is very wary of both the youth, and the need to work together.

“We are constantly working on team chemistry,” she said. “Our players have to realize that everyone on this team must contribute for us to be successful. We are trying to mix our new players in with our returning ones in each group during drills to have some experience on the court. I want our newcomers to learn from the returnees – to see how to run an exercise and to know what I’m expecting from it. Often times learning from your peers is easier than learning from your coach.”

WCU tuned up for the season Saturday with a 79-60 exhibition win over the Charlotte Stars. Lynsie Lamitie, a junior transfer from Gadsden State, scored 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

Sophomore Erin May added 11 points while sophomore Jessika Johnson and freshman April Parker both had 10.

“Hopefully, we got some of the preseason jitters and kinks worked out,” Harper said. “That’s what exhibition games are for – dress rehearsals for the season. I was pleased with the way we worked the ball into our posts.”

The schedule is as follows:

Nov. 18 – at Detroit-Mercy; 20 – at Michigan State; 26 – Florida State in Seminole Classic; 27 – at Seminole Classic.

Dec. 3 – UNC-Asheville; 7 – Auburn; 9 – Radford; 19 – at High Point; 29 – at South Carolina; 31 – at Wofford.

Jan. 2 – Elon; 7 – at Davidson; 9 – at Appalachian State; 14 – Chattanooga; 16 – Georgia Southern; 18 – UNC-Greensboro; 21 – Furman; 23 – at College of Charleston; 28 – Wofford; 30 – at Elon.

Feb. 4 – Davidson; 6 – Appalachian State; 9 – at Chattanooga; 13 – at Georgia Southern; 18 – Furman; 20 – College of Charleston; 25 – at UNC-G.

March 2-5 – Southern Conference Tournament at Charleston, S.C.