2018-19 #HLWBB Preview: UIC
UIC Flames
Last season: 8-22 overall, 1-17 Horizon League
Head coach: Tasha Pointer (1st year)
By Joey Yashinsky, Horizon League Contributor. Follow on Twitter @OneSeatOver
As a player, Tasha Pointer was one of the elite guards in recent college basketball history. She was in the starting lineup all four seasons at Rutgers. She won Freshman of the Year. Made all-conference twice in the rough-and-tumble Big East. She ran the point for a whopping 10 NCAA Tournament victories.
If there is anyone in women’s college basketball that understands and appreciates good guard play, it is Pointer, set to embark on her first season at the helm of the UIC Flames.
Luckily for the native Chicagoan, she has two of the Horizon League’s best right in her own backcourt.
Seniors Brittany Byrd and Taylor Toney were recently named to the Preseason All-Horizon League second team. Byrd has led the Flames in scoring each of the last two years. Toney does a little bit of everything, hauling in almost seven rebounds per game at 5-foot-9 and also leading the team in assists.
“It’s great to have experienced leadership, especially from the guard position,” said Pointer. “If you inherit a team with an experienced post player, that’s good, but at the same time, if I had a preference, I’m taking the guard. Because with a young guard, you’d still have to teach them how to throw it in the post. Having experienced guards, you can just let ‘em go.”
Catera Etheridge, yet another senior guard in this seasoned Flames backcourt, started 28 games last year and will provide further stability out on the floor.
Sophomore guard Tia Tedford had some big games down the stretch in her rookie year and she’ll look to carry that momentum forward.
“We’re looking for Tia to have a breakout season,” said Pointer. “We’ll be looking for her to score the ball; mid-range, shooting the 3, and just being cognizant of when to attack. I know that she can be a dribble penetrator, someone that slashes and gets to the rim. Now it’s just about making sure she has a well-rounded game and can complement our three senior guards.”
Junior wing Tylah Lampley will also be a key to the Flames’ success this season.
“She is one of those once every ten years kind of athletes,” said Pointer. “She’s so versatile. We’re hoping we can make shots to open up lanes and allow her to penetrate from the high post.”
The deep UIC backcourt will be supported by an intriguing mix of interior players. Jada Nneji, Christelle Nyauchi, and Deja Anderson-Fitzell all stand 6-foot-1 and above, giving the Flames a healthy dose of size and strength in the paint. Nneji appeared in 29 games as a freshman last year and proved to be a good shot-blocker and a threat on the offensive glass.
“Those three will push each other to be great,” said Pointer. “We’re hoping Jada Nneji will take that challenge, along with Deja and Chris, and somebody will establish who is going to be our intimidating factor on the inside.”
With a pair of preseason all-conference players in Byrd and Toney, and a quality supporting cast, the Flames are positioned to make a little Horizon League noise after securing just six conference victories over the last three years.
“With young kids, they can be fragile, especially from the standpoint of not having been part of a winning team,” said Pointer. “Right now, we’re getting our kids to believe in themselves so they can buy in to what we’re teaching them. The results will follow the hard work.”
“But I’m extremely excited. Now it’s about galvanizing the young ladies and helping them realize their full potential.”
A new chapter of UIC basketball is ready to begin.