Buffalo Women's Basketball Team Preview

Buffalo Women's Basketball Blog

Listen to Head Coach Linda Hill-MacDonald on this year's MAC Preview Teleconference
2009-10 Buffalo Roster
2009-10 Buffalo Schedule

The University at Buffalo women's basketball team will look to capitalize on a strong performance in the 2009 MAC Tournament as the Bulls begin 2009-10. UB made its first ever MAC Tournament semifinal even though it began the tournament seeded as the sixth seed in the MAC East. The Bulls return 10 players from that team and welcome the addition of five talented freshmen.

"The biggest thing that we have seen is how motivated our players were this summer," said fifth-year head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. "They tasted a little bit of success at the end of the season and it made them want to be better. They worked hard and were extremely committed."

This season the Bulls will benefit from one of their deepest teams in a while and Hill-MacDonald thinks that will only benefit the team as the season progresses.

"We are going to have a lot of healthy competition for playing time this year," said Hill-MacDonald. "Early on our players are going to know that they have to be at their best everyday because their teammates are far behind them."

FRONTCOURT
The Bulls have a lot of experience in the frontcourt area, led most notably by junior Kourtney Brown (Solon, OH/Solon). Brown is coming off a record-breaking season where she became UB's all-time single-season scoring leader with 532 points. Brown was a second-team All-MAC selection and was also the first UB player ever named to the Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team.

Joining Brown in the frontcourt is fellow junior Jessica Fortman (Ashland, KY/Russell) who has continued to get better each season and was second on the team last season in scoring and rebounding, both behind Brown.

"Jess and Kourtney are a great tandem," said Hill-MacDonald. "They work very well together and their games compliment each other very nicely."

"Kourtney has lengthened her shot a little bit and Jess is always a threat from the three-point range," Hill-MacDonald added.

The Bulls also have three other returning players in the frontcourt, including Meghan George (Mentor, OH/Mentor) who missed all of the 2008-09 season while recovering from a torn ACL.

"Meghan is playing much stronger coming back from her injury and we are happy to have her healthy," said Hill-MacDonald. "She is a good shooter and will add another dimension to this team."

Also returning is junior Bridgette Kendricks (Parsons, KS/Parsons) and Beth Christensen (Owatonna, MN/Owatonna). Kendricks is one of the top defensive players on the team, while Christensen saw action in every game last season and continued to improve through out the year.

"Bridgette is perhaps our quickest player and has been a real bonus for us on the defensive end of the floor," Hill-MacDonald said. "She is working on her offensive game and becoming more of a complete player.

"Beth has the benefit of a full season under her belt and she will only continue to get better as this season progresses," Hill-MacDonald added.

Adding to the mix in the frontcourt this season is the addition of freshman Nytor Longar (Rochester, MN/John Marshall). Longar comes to the Bulls from a basketball family, including her older brother Longar Longar, who played at Oklahoma. Longar is one of three UB players standing at 6-2.

"Nytor is taking in everything she is learning like a sponge," said Hill-MacDonald. "She is watching Kourtney [Brown] a lot and trying to mimic her moves and that is an excellent mentor for her to have."

BACKCOURT
With the graduation of three players in the UB backcourt, the Bulls have a little more competition as the season approaches.

"All the positions in our backcourt are interchangeable in our system," said Hill-MacDonald. "We are very confident as we have three players who could play the 1, the 2 or the 3. All three of them have point guard skills and a point guard mentality and the nice thing is we could play all three of them at the same time."

One of those players is sophomore Brittany Hedderson (Tecumseh, Ontario/St. Anne), who had a solid freshman campaign, seeing a lot of time at the point guard position due to injury. Hedderson led the team in assists last year and was second on the squad in steals.

"Brittany continued to get better as the season progressed last season and she can do some things on the court that I think surprise everyone," said Hill-MacDonald. "She was able to take the point guard duties as a freshman and help lead her team."

Also being versatile options for the Bulls are freshmen Chrissy Cooper (State College, PA/State College) and Nikki Hopkins (Lima, OH/Bath). Both Cooper and Hopkins are outstanding three-point shooters as Cooper shot 49 percent from behind the arc as a senior and Hopkins finished her career with 226 three pointers, the 14th highest in the history of the state of Ohio.

"Both Chrissy and Nikki can play some point, but they are both great shooters," said Hill-MacDonald. "They have deep three-point range and they will really open things up down low for us."

The Bulls have a couple true point guard options on the team as well. Sophomore Ephesia Holmes (Minneapolis, MN/Minneapolis South) returns after missing much of last season due to injury. When healthy, Holmes proved to be a viable option, as she was an All-Tournament selection at the St. John's Holiday Classic. Junior Ashley Zuber (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland) continues to rehab a hip injury that forced her to miss all of 2008-09.

"We do have some options with Ephesia and Ashley when she gets healthy," said Hill-MacDonald. "They are both great ball handlers that can run an offense."

Also in the running at point guard is freshman Abby Dowd (Tipp City, OH/Tippecanoe). Dowd averaged 14.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.1 steals per game, while shooting nearly 56.0 percent from the floor, including 51.3 percent from behind the arc during her senior season.

"Abby has great leadership and is very poised and confident running the point," said Hill-MacDonald. "She is a very high energy person and she brings that energy with her everyday to the basketball court."

Returning to the team in the two-guard spot is UB's lone senior Dayna Smith (Garfield Heights, OH/Trinity). After seeing spot duty during her first two years, Smith was thrust into the starting line last year for the final 22 games of the season. Smith, who is one of the top defensive players in the Mid-American Conference, has shown an ability to score, including a career-high 17 points last season against Ohio.

"Dayna has put a lot of work in and I can see an improvement in her ball control and her shooting," said Hill-MacDonald. "As our only senior, I expect her to help and lead this team."

Also returning for UB is sophomore Teresa Semalulu (Gattineau, Québec/John Abbott), who saw action in just 14 games, as she was fighting some health issues. When healthy, Semalulu showed an ability to get to the basket when she had the ball.

"While Teresa is coming back from some health issues, you would never know it with the way she is playing," said Hill-MacDonald. "We are seeing her do some things that just take your breath away at practice. She is emerging as a very good slasher and she is going to give us the ability to give a couple different looks on the floor."

Also joining the mix is freshman Amy Gardner (Medina, OH/Walsh Jesuit) who will be looking for playing time at the three-guard spot. Gardner is recovering after missing most of her senior season due to an ACL injury.

"Amy is coming back from injury and she has some catching up to do," said Hill-MacDonald. "We are working her back gradually and when healthy she is going to give some added depth in the backcourt."

SCHEDULE
The Bulls again will have a tough non-conference schedule as they get prepared for their MAC slate. UB has nine of its 13 games on the road in non-conference, including a date with Penn State in the first round of the Maine Tournament. Also on the schedule are Temple, American, St. Bonaventure and Canisius, which all played in the postseason last year.

Once MAC play starts, it will again be a grind as all 12 schools have continued to improve and many believe the league is wide open for the taking.

"I think our non-conference schedule sets us up well for a grueling MAC season," said Hill-MacDonald. "I see a lot of parity in the conference and don't think any one team is a frontrunner. A lot of teams had great recruiting classes and there are no easy games at all in the league. I think it is going to come down the last week of play to crow champions on both the East and West side."

The Bulls hope with their added confidence from a strong tournament run and improved offseason that they are in position for the crown come the final week of the season.