After a long offseason during which both teams upgraded their rosters, the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Texas A&M University-Commerce are ready to tip-off the 2011-12 season this week.
The women begin their season tonight with a non-conference game at Southeastern Oklahoma while the men will hit the hardwood for their opener Thursday at Southern Arkansas.
Head Coach Nicole Anderson enters her third season at the helm of the A&M-Commerce women’s team and will be looking to take the team in an upward direction after posting a 2-24 mark a year ago. The Lions were picked by coaches, media members and officials from the Lone Star Conference to finish tenth in the conference.
Despite the low marks from the conference, Anderson is confident after a successful offseason.
“This offseason has been very good,” Anderson said. “We have prepared physically through conditioning and we have also become tougher mentally and we’re prepared for the challenge.”
The team welcomes a handful of new players this year, including sophomore forward Breanna Harris, a transfer from Division I Hampton University. Ashlee Johnson, Devin Oliver, La’Tisha Hearne and Michelle Sutton round out the list of newcomers. Sutton and Johnson come to Commerce from California.
Danielle Dixon is back to lead the team from her guard spot after starting 23 games as a freshman. Dixon played more minutes last season than any other player on the Lions’ roster and was second in scoring.
After a brief road trip, the Lions will be in Commerce the next four games, starting with a non-conference matchup with Henderson State on Friday at 6 p.m.
Expectations are a bit higher on the men’s side, where the Lions were picked in the preseason poll to finish fourth in the LSC, and also boast the preseason player of the year in Desmond King.
The Lions return all but three players from last year’s team, and after a successful scrimmage against SEC-power Arkansas, Head Coach Sam Walker is ready to put what he believes is a very talented squad on the floor.
“We are very talented,” Walker said. “We have a group of men that all want to win and play hard each game.”
In addition to King, the Lions also welcome back standout players Brad Hambrick and Preston Whitely. A&M-Commerce added some support in transfer Devondrick Walker (NE Oklahoma) and Mouhamadou N’doye, a 7-footer from Senegal who transferred from New Mexico State.
Walker admitted that these additions will be important throughout the season.
“The addition of these new players will add depth to the team and give players needed rest during tough conference games,” Walker said. “It’s important for us to get these guys comfortable with the system and get them used to playing a motion-style offense.”
The Lions finished 18-9 a year ago and will be on the road during their first four contests before opening the conference schedule at home against Midwestern State on Nov. 30.