{"id":1193,"date":"2018-06-25T18:34:25","date_gmt":"2018-06-25T18:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/yearbook\/?page_id=1193"},"modified":"2019-07-01T13:06:11","modified_gmt":"2019-07-01T18:06:11","slug":"womens-basketball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/yearbook\/2018\/06\/25\/womens-basketball\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s Basketball 2016-2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Elijah Smith<\/span><\/p>\n

The Missouri Western women\u2019s basketball team<\/a> finished the season with a 21-8 <\/a>record for their third winning season in a row, and added an MIAA conference game to their resume.<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides getting a bye in the first game of the MIAA tournament, some of the season\u2019s highlights included beating nationally-ranked Emporia State University at home, and beating the University of Central Oklahoma on the road when that team was undefeated 18-0. Of course, sweeping Missouri Western\u2019s rivals to the north was also a highlight for the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

Head Coach Rob Edmisson<\/a> said he believes the past two seasons are a sign the women\u2019s basketball program has seen a turnaround, and considers this season a successful one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying in the toughest conference in the country, every game is pretty huge,\u201d Edmisson said, noting that only two games separated the first and fourth place teams in the conference. \u201cWhen you go through and look at conference games, the fact that we were very successful on the road \u2013 I think we were 11-3 on the road this year \u2013 that\u2019s something that was a highlight; our ability to go win road games, because that\u2019s tough to do in this league.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Senior point guard Chelsea Dewey<\/a> agrees that every game had its highlights. Dewey was the team\u2019s top scorer, racking up 373 points during the regular season. She said the team\u2019s winning record says a lot about their coach and the team\u2019s chemistry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t be successful without chemistry,\u201d Dewey said. \u201cHaving players that are willing to buy in is also another key factor. He [Edmisson] definitely found some players like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Associate Director of Athletics for External Relations Brett Esely<\/a> said the team had some big shoes to fill after losing four starters that were instrumental in an incredibly successful 2015-2016 season. He says the increased interest of new recruits can be attributed to the coaches and what the team has built over these past several seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think they went from being the hunter to being the hunted, when you have the season that we did,\u201d Esely said. \u201cWhen you have a year like we had in \u201915-\u201916, where you win 27 games, all of a sudden the mentality of your team changes. . . now, every time we line up, we think we can win.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Esely and Edmisson agree that recruitment will play a key role in the ongoing success of the women\u2019s basketball program, and are optimistic that the team will see the same results, even if with some fresh faces.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow it\u2019s on the next group to maintain that level,\u201d Esely said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s never easy. But I think it\u2019ll be easier, just because they\u2019ve built a program to where people want to come play here again, which is a good thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t