Oakland Head Coach Beckie Francis (11th Season)
Opening Statement
She's back [a reference to Brittany Carnago, who missed last season due to an injury]. We're really excited about this year. We have some really good freshman that we brought in. We have a redshirt freshman that's coming back, in Elizabeth Hamlet and we have some great senior leadership. So I think it's a great combination and we we're excited to get started.
On being picked third in the Preseason Poll despite the return of Brittany Carnago
That's a good question and I want to be careful in my answer. I think that most of the coaches in our league know about [Brittany] Carnago. As proof of that: When I was recruiting in July, the defending NCAA [tournament appearance earning] and [Summit League]Tournament Champion, South Dakota State's head coach was sitting next to me and the first thing he said wasn't even, `Hello', It was `How's Carnago doing?'. So I do think that they know that she's back. I think that our league is getting better. Because I think that we're good and if they're picking us third this means that this team is good, but the league is very competitive.
Regarding the team makeup, with the return of three players that sat out last season
We're still trying to figure out how it all works together. We're deep and we're talented. We are excited with the fact that Hamlet actually played with Bethany Watterworth in AAU for years, so they have , I don't even know how many, games under their belt together. So there's another connection. [Brittany] Carnago, [Bethany] Watterworth and [Elizabeth] Hamlet also played in the same AAU program, they all played for the Pistons' AAU program. So it's going to be interesting how we put that all together.
We also have another interesting connection and I am not sure if you guys are aware that we have an East Lansing connection. We have three players from the same high school. Two of them, incoming freshman, were state champions at the state Class A level and one of them was MVP of that tournament, in Malika Glover, who Sharise Calhoun just mentioned. So we just think it's really interesting that we have a trio of Pistons AAU players, we have the East Lansing trio and then we also have a duet of Livingston County AAU players in Kirstie Malone and Anna Patritto. So we have a lot of players that have played a lot of games together.
On the roles the freshman will play on the team this season
We're really working on that right now. We met with our team just yesterday on where we see them exactly if the game was tomorrow. Malika Glover, Zakiya Minifee and Jenna Bachrouche, we see playing and getting on the floor. You know, Lord willing if health and injuries are not a factor. We have two walk-ons that are really good and pushing us in practice, so I definitely see our freshman contributing.
On facing big name non-conference opponents, including two Big Ten schools at home
It's really fun. Three or four years ago when we played UConn at UConn I had two of my seniors come up to me and say, `That was the most fun I have had in my life.' and we'd lost by 27 or 28 at UConn... it might've been more. But they get pumped up for that and that prepares us for our conference opponents. Because usually Penn State and Illinois [are tall teams]. Illinois was huge last year. They had Jenna Smith who was an All-American. It really challenges us on, `How do you guard a center?', and then we're prepared for centers in our league. We also play at Clemson. We're at the Big East with Providence. We have the MAC champion, Bowling Green, on the road. We have Toledo, who was the runner-up in the MAC and a former Ivy League champion in Dartmouth. So it's a stacked non-league conference that, we think, prepares our team.
About the most improved player on the team, who might surprise oppoenents
That's tough. I would say maybe Kirstie Malone.
Discussing the differences between this year's team and last year's team
I think the biggest difference of this team from last year is that we're young. At first it doesn't feel like we're young, because we have two seniors in Anna Patritto and Kirstie Malone. But we have five new freshman, two walk-ons and two redshirts who didn't play last year. That's seven to eight new people that weren't in any conference games or in the heat of competition last year. Then we have two sophomores, Victoria Lipscomb and Bethany Watterworth, that started last year, so you're looking at (I don't know the percentage, but it's) a lot of players that aren't juniors and seniors with a ton of experience. So basically we have Brittany Carnago and Sharise Calhoun as returning starters that are juniors [as returning upperclassman starters].
Regarding local talent on the team, including Brittney Nelson and Bethany Watterworth
We love it when we can keep the local talent home. We're currently recruiting some really good local players. When we can do that we just think it helps the program and the local fanbase. With Brittney Nelson I almost don't want to talk about her because I don't want the league to even know about her. She was a great sixth-woman down at Georgia Southern and drilled some important 3's. When she transferred I called some of the opponents in her league down there and I asked them, `What did Brittney Nelson do against you?'They said, `Man! She came in and hit a key 3 against us... and hit a key 3 against us, etc.' That was from every coach that I called when she transferred. So we're looking for big things from her to come in and help us. If people go sit in a two-three zone she's deadly. She has NBA-range.
Getting Bethany Watterworth was probably just the biggest blessing that we could have. She could've gone other places, but she loves her family and she has a lot of siblings and she loves her church home. She wanted to get a great education at Oakland and she picked us. As for her being a preseason all-league player as a sophomore, I don't even remember the last time that we've had a preseason first team all-league player before the season even started.
OAKLAND PLAYERS
Junior Center Brittany Carnago
On watching the team play, while sitting out with an injury last season
Last year was definitely very rough, having to sit out the entire season. I got to practice and then in the second exhibition I got injured. But I am definitely very excited to start playing. My knee is back to 100-percent, so I am very confident in that and I think we're going to have a great season.
On what her insertion into the lineup does to the team's style of play
During my sophomore season I had a few blocks and I think that helped our team defense. I think that will help our guards have confidence that I'll be there to step up and help them. So I think overall I will help our team defense get some more stops.
On playing at the same time with Bethany Watterworth
Well Beth [Bethany Watterworth] is such a threat. She can shoot the 3, she can take 15-footers and she can post up, so I think there's going to be great high-lo action. She can get it to me and I can get it out to her, so I think that the two of us are going to really work together.
Senior Forward Anna Patritto
On her senior season carrying an increased significance Definitely. It's my last go-round right here this year. This is my last time playing basketball, so this is the most meaningful I think. The past years have been great, but this year is going to be huge.
On the impact of Brittany Carnago on the team's playing style
Well Brittany makes a huge contribution. She's six-four you can't replace that. Back there we know she's always got our help on defense. Offensively, if you post her up and get the ball to her, you can be pretty sure it's going in. So it's a huge impact. It gives us a lot more confidence and it makes us a lot more competitive this year.
Junior Guard Sharise Calhoun
On being the team's veteran guard and her role mentoring the new guards
Well, being the veteran in the backcourt it's really exciting. Because I know at practice we've come along and you see the growth of the freshman and all the new players that we have. One thing that I love about this team is that they're completely passionate about the game and they want to learn. So I think with me mentoring them a little bit we're going to be great defensively. So I have a lot of confidence in my team.
When asked if she would move to point guard instead of being a combo-guard
Actually, I am still kind of working on being the combo-guard, because we have two great freshman, a redshirt freshman and our incoming freshman. They're both great point guards and I see them contributing a lot to this team. So I think my role is going to change a lot more as far as me being more vocal, but I think... I know they will be great contributors to our team.
-OAKLAND-
