Starting the season 0-5 is not exactly what the CMU women’s basketball team had in mind.

Hosting the runner-up to last year’s NCAA Championship does not make things easier.

CMU will take on Louisville at 7 p.m. today at Rose Arena.

Coach Sue Guevara said the team chemistry on defense needs to be better, but she still believes things will work out.

“We have very inexperienced depth and we are playing some good basketball teams,” Guevara said. “I still have a lot of confidence in this team and believe in them.”

Louisville, who earned a point in the Associated Press Poll, but missed the Top 25 by one team, found itself one win away from a national championship last year.

Although it lost Angel McCoughtry, drafted first overall in the WNBA and won 2009 WNBA Rookie of the Year, the Cardinals provide scoring from multiple spots on the floor.

In an effort to replace one of the best in all of women’s college basketball last season, sophomores Becky Burke and Monique Reid lead Louisville in scoring with 13.6 points per game apiece.

“Burke is a tremendous scorer with just a great scoring mentality, and Reid is just a nice player,” Guevara said. “This is the national runner-up coming here and I think it is great for our program playing them.”

Struggles

Despite being CMU’s second-leading scorer, preseason All-MAC forward Britni Houghton has struggled in games this season finding open shots.

Houghton said the team knows it can play better and she is looking forward to starting anew.

“Every game, I feel like I try to get going — people have bad games, and I’m just excited I get to play again and start out new,” she said. “We know that we can play better than we have and we know we have a good basketball program. We still have high hopes for the season.”

The Chippewas have had problems rebounding on their defensive end throughout the season and foul trouble has played a large role in them.

Junior forward Kaihla Szunko has gotten into early foul trouble in recent games, leaving the team rebound-deficient when she is taken out of games.

“We all need to play smart as a team, if she (Szunko) gets beat, then we need to have help so she does not get a stupid foul,” Houghton said.

Inexperience

Guevara said she does not think the more experienced Houghton is feeling pressure despite the lack of experienced depth to help.

“We are putting Britni in a situation to succeed, I just want her to play. It is not on her shoulders,” she said. “Our mentality, defensively, is improving, but it has to get a lot better. We have a hunger, but we need to be starving.”

Freshman point guard Jalisa Olive also will start, Guevara said. It is her third start this season.
This is the Chippewas’ last home game until Dec. 19, when they host Howard.

E-mail the author: John Evans