2021-22 Indiana State Women's Basketball Season Preview
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The Vicki Hall era is over in Terre Haute after three challenging seasons at the helm. Tasked with the rebuild is Chad Killinger, the new Sycamore head coach, who most recently served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Nicholls State University.
Killinger has a difficult road ahead, as he attempts to turn an Indiana State team that managed just 10 total wins over the past two seasons into a competitor.
This is the first Division I head coaching gig for Killinger, who is returning home to Indiana, the state where he got his degree and began his coaching journey at Franklin College.
One of the perks of being the top dog is getting to handpick your coaching staff, and Killinger is bringing in three coaches that he has worked with throughout his career.
Deidra Johnson, who previously worked as an assistant at Texas State, is the new associate head coach. LaKale Malone is an assistant coach after eight years at the University of Illinois. Lastly, Clint Williams joins the staff after a short stint with Morehead State.
Despite the all-new staff, it is hardly a blank slate for Indiana State heading into this season. The Sycamores are returning eight of their top nine players in terms of minutes per game from last year, an unheard of figure for the typical program. The only major loss is Jamyra McChristine, a forward who led the team in rebounding and was their defensive anchor inside.
But Killinger and company were actively recruiting from the day they stepped onto campus. Indiana State brought in three impact transfers and a freshman who all have the ability to produce from the get-go.
Florence Tshimanga is a 6-foot-3 senior who transferred from Southern Methodist University. Killinger raved about her size and ability, saying, “Being able to run the floor, step outside and shoot the ball, she just gives us a little different dynamic than what some [other teams] may have in the post.”
If she isn’t enough to replace McChristine, Killinger can supplement Tshimanaga’s minutes with 6-foot-2 freshman Arianna Smith. “She’s going to be that kid that’s just tough around the basket, hard to contain on the boards,” Killinger said. “She’s got a chance to be a pretty good player for us right off the bat.”
That is pretty high praise for a player who has yet to step on a collegiate court, but if she’s given enough minutes, don’t be surprised to see Smith on the MVC all-freshman team at the end of the season.
In the backcourt, even some of the new players are familiar faces. Anna McKendree transferred from Nicholls State at the end of last year, following Coach Killinger from Louisiana to Indiana. “She’s a great shooter, works really hard and understands the game,” Killinger said. “People from Indiana who appreciate good basketball, I think they’ll appreciate the way she plays.”
The last impact newcomer is Tonysha Curry, a graduate transfer from Stetson. A 5-foot-10 guard, Curry led the Hatters in rebounds per game last season while being far from the biggest player on the floor. “[She’s] really aggressive getting to the rim [and] plays multiple positions,” Killinger said. “That versatility will be something that helps us.”
New arrivals aside, the main scoring option will be Adrian Folks, a junior wing who led the team with 9.6 points per game last season. While her efficiency from the field (45% field goal percentage last season) is commendable, she could elevate to the next level by converting more of her free throw attempts. As an aggressor inside, 67.3% from the charity stripe last year was not a frightening figure.
A trio of guards who all started double-digit games last season will each bring different skill sets to the court for the Sycamores. Sommer Pitzer is a sharp-shooting junior who led the team in both three-point makes and attempts. With many on-ball playmakers at their disposal, having Pitzer to stretch the defense will be an important asset on offense.
Junior Caitlin Anderson is also a pass-first player, but she can get a bucket when called upon. Anderson led the team in assists last season and was third in scoring. Her impact extends to the defensive side of the ball, where she racked up 28 steals, often drawing the toughest defensive assignments.
Marie Hunter rounds out the experienced guards and is a similar player to Anderson. A graduate athlete this year, Hunter has fundamental passing and rebounding skills, but will look to increase her efficiency from both inside and outside the three-point arc.
Other players who figure to be a key part of the rotation are senior guard Natalia Lalic, junior forward Hattie Westerfeld, senior wing Essy Latu, and junior guard Del’Janae Williams.
While they have a ton of talented players, this team is a lot more than the sum of its parts. Coach Killinger makes it very clear that this Indiana State squad will have a new identity this year. “Energy, confidence, respect. When you look at those three words, those are things that can really define how our season goes.”
Effort is often a product of motivation, and Killinger says that from day one that quality has been evident in the locker room and on the practice floor. “I don’t think we have had a bad day in terms of just coming in and working hard. When they buy in and they’re working hard and they’re enjoying coming to practice...we are laying a foundation for future success.”
It may be difficult to be confident after two particularly tough seasons in a row, but Killinger has used a step-like progression when talking about how to build confidence throughout a season, starting off small and building up 5% more confidence every day, and then 10% and so on, until each player reaches their true potential.
The coaching staff understands that respect comes in many forms, and it starts with how they treat their athletes. “[We are] a staff that respects them and what they are doing as young women in college,” Killinger said. “We have done a good job of letting them know that we care about them.”
The other aspect of respect is from their opponents. Killinger emphasized that “As the season goes, [if] we win some games that people don’t expect us to win, respect for the program in general starts to come back as well.”
The veteran presence of the team seems overwhelming, with only one sophomore and two freshmen on the roster. Killinger has a more realistic outlook on how age does not necessarily correlate with experience.
“I still look at us as a fairly young group. Those kids that we have that are juniors, their freshman year they were told their season is over and so they didn’t go through that last loss of the season and how does that make you feel. And then their sophomore year was a complete covid year. They have experience, but they haven't experienced a true college basketball season.”
Missouri Valley Conference play last season featured back-to-back games against most opponents to limit disease exposure while traveling. Being back to a normal schedule this season, however, presents a challenge that Killinger believes will lead to growth opportunities from his team.
Being able to “digest a scouting report for a Thursday game and then turn around and digest a report for a Saturday game” will help develop the mental aptitude of his squad. This is even more important for Indiana State than other programs, as their conference records of 3-15 and 2-12 over the last two seasons will need to improve for the Sycamores to reach their ceiling as a team.
Killinger is both optimistic and realistic heading into his first campaign. While anticipating success, his response to potential adversity is patience. “Understand that there will be highs and lows, and we have to maintain our composure through all of that,” he said.
While their recent track record may give little reason for hope, this Indiana State basketball team could be more reminiscent of the successful Teri Moren, Jim Wiedie, and Cheryl Reeve-led squads than the product of the past few years.
Indiana State opens their season on November 9 vs. Stephens College (MO) and will compete in the Georgia Southern Thanksgiving Classic before conference play kicks off in late December.
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