Carly Besser
Staff writer
Falling short to St. Louis last Saturday, the Racers are on the road to play against the No. 11 ranked University of Louisville at 6 pm today in Louisville, Ky. This meet will be their last of four away games in a row.
The Racers, coming in with a 2-4 record, are against a formidable opponent. Louisville is currently 6-1 and hold wins against OVC opponents Eastern Kentucky and Austin Peay.
Head Coach Rob Cross said the team is confident with their current playing style, so expect a fast-tempo offensive tactic with full court presses and much more shot attempts.
High pressure defense has proven to be a game changer for the Racers. The pressure has caused three of five opponents to give up 30 plus turnovers. This aggression will be necessary to maintain the impressive Louisville offense.
The Racers have much depth in terms of substitutions and subs are made constantly to keep a high stamina level. Most players do no stay on the court for longer than 10 minutes at a time.
Currently, the offensive powerhouses for the Racers are guards junior Mariah Robinson and sophomore Erica Burgess. This season alone, Robinson averages 30.7 points per game. Following her is Burgess, averaging 21 points per game.
Senior forward Kayla Lowe is precise in her three point shot attempts, making her a possible offensive leader against Louisville. Lowe earned the team’s first double-double of the season at Alabama A&M, with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
On the defensive side of the ball, junior forward Kyra Watson is a secret weapon in rebounds. Against St. Louis, Watson earned eight rebounds, leading the team.
There is room for improvements to be made before facing Louisville for the Racers. Head Coach Rob Cross said low shooting percentages were known to cost them the game against St. Louis when they averaged just 22.1 percent in field goals and 15.2 percent in three point shots. With so many shot attempts, improved accuracy would more than triple total points on the board.
The team also needs to improve on how often they get into foul trouble. Not only is fouling plenty, but it’s been very early in the game. It is imperative to prevent Louisville from getting too many opportunities at the free throw line. Losing scoring leaders like Burgess for most of the first half will definitely hurt the Racers offensively.
This battle will prove to be an exciting watch for any Racer basketball fan. With two offensively talented teams dominating the court, basketball fans will more than likely be kept on the edge of their seats.
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