Q&A with Jeff Mittie
11/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2001
By Don Dowell
Are you ready to get started and carry over the magic from last season?
I am anxious to get this team on the floor. The challenge now is to put together another great year, but with a different cast. We have a good nucleus back, but we have some players in this recruiting class that are going to have to play, and some will play extended minutes.
Could this end up being a deeper, more talented team?
We lost some very talented players, but we think we have replaced them with some talented players. We are probably bigger in size, and faster inline-to-inline. It will be a different type of team. I hope we end up being better, but I am not sure how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together yet. I am not sure I can name our top 8 or 9 right now, there is going to be tremendous competition for these spots. We have good numbers. They are good athletes and very versatile players, and that's something that has always been important in our offense.
How will the new players impact what you want to do on defense?
I think as we have become bigger and more athletic in terms of speed and quickness, I think you look to do some things differently like extend the floor and trap more. We don't want to get away from our base of being a very good half-court defensive team, but we want to see if we can create more offense from our defense.
What are you looking for from your strong nucleus of returning players?
We expect that group to be good. You start with Safi as the one who played extended minutes for us. She will play a big role and had big games for us last season. Safi has the advantage this year of being a veteran. Last year, she was a newcomer trying to blend in. Ebony Shaw and Tiffany Evans had very good freshman years. Shanti Nix had a solid year. Quinn Tedder provided great leadership for us on the bench, and played some good minutes when she was given the opportunity.
What are your initial impressions of Sandora Irvin?
She is tremendously talented. She works extremely hard. We are excited about her.
Will Irvin likely be more of a post player?
With us offensively, it does not matter. We post everybody. In our motion, the key is are you versatile, and can you do different things to create mismatches. Sandora is one that faces the basket well from 16-17 feet, and she puts it on the floor pretty well for a 6-4 player. But her bread-and-butter is to be around the basket where she can rebound and get down low and score. At the same time, you have Safi and Tiffany who are very versatile players and can do those kinds of things, and I would include Grace Gantt in there as well.
What about your inside defense?
Defensively for us, it gets back to the same thing. We want players that can guard a variety of players. The area I am probably most concerned about is physically we don't have that banger down low. We have worked very hard in the weight room, and are a stronger, more physical team. We are going to have to do it with a variety of people and be a more athletic team, than a physical, banging team.
Is Gantt a Janice Thomas type of player?
Yes, that's a good comparison. Gantt is probably a better shooter from what I have seen, and might be a little more skilled than when JT got here. There is a lot to work with. JT got to where when she got the ball down low, she knew she could face you and attack the basket. Hopefully we can get Gantt to have the same footwork that JT had when she ended her career here.
Does Candace Baldwin have the potential to challenge Shanti Nix for the point position?
I think that is going be a great competition, and I don't think it matters who starts. Both are going to be a huge part of what we do. Both had great falls and work extremely hard.
Is there a difference in style between them?
Both are strong players, though Candace is built stronger in her upper body. Candace will get inside to score more. Shanti is going to shoot the three and penetrate to kick, and if she goes inside to score, it's going to be a slashing layup. Candace is going to get in for the pull-up "J". Shanti is a little more explosive in the full court, while Candace is a more physical guard who may post up some.
What about Nikki Newton?
Talented player, we are going to take a look to see where she can play. I think she can play the "3" and the "4," but we want to see if she can play the "2." Ashley Browning and DeeDee Favors are also players we will look at the "2" spot. Ebony comes in as the player that is starting at the "2," but we are going to need more depth there.
Is Browning a potential zone-buster, replacing the twins in that role?
She has that ability. She shoots the ball well. Has a good, quick release from there.
Could Maranda Hankerson be in the point-guard mix?
We need to have a third point-guard. You are always a turned ankle from playing them. Hopefully she can do that for us. She has worked hard but has a way to go. It's a tough position for a new player.
Are you expecting to redshirt Lindsey Prewitt?
She might be a candidate, but I don't want to make that decision yet. She has made tremendous strides from day one, and you don't know at what point she gets to the stage where she can help the team.
Who do you think will replace Tricia Payne?
Anytime you lose a player who has done so much for TCU as Tricia has, and last year she had a knack for performing in big games, you know it's a big injury. A variety of players could play her role, it's too early to tell. Anytime we have an injury, we don't look for one player to replace her, we look for a number of players to step up. Tiffany Evans will probably get the first shot at taking her position at the "3."
What is your assessment of C-USA and the other teams there?
It's a very good basketball league. There are some outstanding coaches. The league has a chance to have a very good year. Louisville returns all 5 starters. Tulane returns 4 of 5 starters. Cincinnati has all 5 starters returning. Houston has Chandi Jones, the nation's leading freshman scorer back. UAB has Deanna Jackson back, a first-team All-American in some polls. There are some very talented players in this league.
How does the C-USA schedule and tournament work?
14 game schedule, no divisions. You play every team once, and your natural rival twice. I think a lot of thought went into it. In terms of equity, this is about as close as you can get. The top 12 teams go to the conference tournament, with the top four teams getting a bye.
What did you see from the team on the Australia trip?
We were able to try some different things. I thought the best thing was that the players were able to play extended minutes against experienced teams. I thought it pushed us. Shanti had to play point almost the entire time. Ebony and Tiffany played forty plus minutes a game. It forced some players into different roles and allowed them to elevate their games.
The true benefit is spending 12 days with your basketball team. They get to see you in an entirely different setting, and you get to interact with them. You do come back a closer team, and a closer staff.
Away from the court, what stood out from the Australian trip?
We climbed the Harbor Bridge together as a team. It was an awesome experience to be doing that and looking over the Sydney Opera House. We did the Great Barrier Reef, and we had some players scuba dive for the first time. It was great to get to tour the Sydney Opera House. We toured the entire city of Melbourne and saw a couple of museums. It was fun to get to see them do something that because of athletics and TCU, they may not ever have been able to do. It opened their eyes to another culture. Some of us even ate kangaroo.
What would you like to see done to Daniel-Meyer?
I think we have a great basketball arena to watch the game in. But the appearance from the outside needs to be an improved. An entrance area that we could be proud of that would improve the ticket situation, plus be an area that could showcase heritage items and pictures that people could visit on game day. The outside walls need to bricked. That would improve the appearance for a long time. On the inside, I think you could enhance the appearance by having suites and maybe a restaurant or banquet room just above the seats. I think we need to improve the lighting in there so we can shut the lights off and do the spotlights to create atmosphere. Definitely a video scoreboard with replays. This would enhance the fans knowledge of the team. You would have the ability to show interviews of the players before the games. All of these things would enhance the fans' experience. Fans always respond to new and fan-friendly arenas.
