Szunko leads women's basketball frontcourt
The CMU women’s basketball team was expecting big things from its experienced frontcourt coming into the season.
However, those expectations changed in September, when Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year Brandie Baker went down with a torn ACL injury in her left knee. It required surgery, and she had to miss the entire 2009-10 season.
“It’s difficult for her to sit out and watch,” said coach Sue Guevara. “One of her goals was to be MAC Defensive Player of the Year.”
Baker, a six-foot point guard or power forward, was looking to improve upon her 12 points and six rebounds per game from last season. She was second on the team in rebounding, behind junior Kaihla Szunko (9.8 rebounds per game).
Coupled with the loss of Latisha Luckett (7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season) to graduation, a hole has opened for CMU on the glass alongside Szunko.
“In terms of rebounding, we need someone to step up in that respect,” Guevara said. “That will on the defensive end of the floor was the intangible she (Luckett) brought us.”
Stepping up
Looking to fill the void down low are juniors Sherryia Armstrong and Laura Baker, sophomore Skylar Miller and redshirt freshman Cheritee Green.
Miller, at 5 feet, 10 inches, is the most experienced of the group, starting 21 games last season while averaging 4.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. In two games so far this season as a starter, she is averaging three points and two rebounds.
At media day Oct. 27, Guevara pegged 6-foot, 2-inch Armstrong (0.9 points, 1.3 rebounds per game last season) as one of the possible players to emerge behind Szunko.
“Between her conditioning and her ability to catch the ball, she’s really been working on her hands and finishing,” she said.
While playing 10 minutes in both games against DePaul and Illinois, Armstrong is averaging two points and 2.5 rebounds per game. She scored seven points and had seven rebounds in CMU’s exhibition win against Saginaw Valley State on Nov. 1.
Laura Baker and Green, both playing their first year after redshirting last season, also will get playing time. Baker played five minutes and scored two points in the team’s 77-59 loss Wednesday to Illinois.
Despite the lack of experience and depth with the frontcourt, Szunko said she does not feel any pressure to make up for the loss of Brandie Baker.
“I just play my game when I’m out there. I don’t have extra pressure put on me just because Brandie’s gone,” she said. “We have a bunch of point guards that can perform (and make up for it) really well and it’s pretty exciting.”
Senior guard/forward Britni Houghton and freshman guard Stefanie Mauk have contributed rebounding, averaging six and three rebounds, respectively, through the first two games of the season.
