COLUMBUS — The 2023-23 season is one that Mississippi University for Women women’s basketball wants to put in the past for good.
Eighteen games played, eighteen losses.
The story of this season, however, starts with a new conference and new athletic affiliation, as MUW is now a Division III school playing in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SLIAC).
Beyond the structural changes, there’s more than enough reason for The Owls to feel encouraged and hopeful for success this season
“I think that we’re already ahead of where we were, not just at this time last year, but at the end of last year,” head coach Drew Johnson said.
Last season’s woes can be traced down simply to a lack of bodies on the floor during practice, something that has not been a problem so far in the preseason.
Not being able to scrimmage five-on-five outside of actual games made things incredibly difficult for Johnson and his coaching staff, but with a roster of 13 coming into the year, there’s legitimate depth to utilize.
“You were really learning a lot of things on the fly and that’s never good during competition,” Johnson said. “The fact that we’ve been able to keep everyone healthy and have a full roster, it’s really helped us advance a lot quicker. … We don’t want to be good at drills. We want to be good at playing basketball.”
Of those 13 players on this season’s roster, three are returning pieces from last season, including two of the team’s top returning scorers..
Joining them are 10 newcomers to Columbus, seven freshmen and three transfers.
Sophomore guard Jas Patrick and junior guard Conley Langford are back, a tandem that combined to score 30 points per game, with Langford leading the way, averaging 17.9 PPG and 10.4 RPG in 18 games played.
Langford, entering her junior season, will be asked to be a leader more than ever before, but that role is something she’s prepared herself for.
“I feel like a part of me has always been a leader,” Langford said. “I love the fact that I’m taking on a bigger role this season. It’s just natural to me. I love leading by example.”
Newfound excitement is in the air following the DIII move, a permanent conference slate that helps with scheduling and allows for the opportunity to get more non-conference games in.
Stability has found its way to MUW, and now more than ever, there are tangible goals once next Friday’s regular season opener against Oglethorpe University tips off.
Conference championships, NCAA tournament appearances and national championships are now possibilities that never before existed.
“It’s going great,” sophomore transfer Zoe Essary said. “We all get along. We play well together. We have great chemistry. A lot of us played each other in high school too, so we know the feel of each other. … I’m really excited for everyone. Everyone is everyone’s biggest fan. I think we’re going to be pretty good this year.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion