TU Women’s Basketball preview
By Cory Kefauver, Contributing Writer
Towson Women’s Basketball will open their season Jan. 1 at home against James Madison University.
The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) announced the 2020-2021 season will start Jan. 1 and finish the regular season on Feb. 28. Instead of a traditional home-and-home schedule, teams will play against the same opponent at the same location on consecutive days. The Tigers will play an 18-game season against conference opponents.
Head Coach Diane Richardson is optimistic her team has the mental toughness to get through such an adverse season.
“The schedule has been finalized for the most part and we are ready to go,” said Richardson.
The players have received COVID-19 tests every week, and once competition opens, testing will increase to three times a week.
Practice for the Tigers began in October with players only allowed to work out in small groups. Full team practices have started again with the announcement of the upcoming season.
“We have to keep a tough mental state,” said senior guard Kionna Jeter. “We have zero positive cases this year so far and we need to keep that up.”
Jeter, who led the team in scoring last year with 18.1 points per game, looks to continue to lead her team with aspirations of a conference championship.
“I want to expand from last year,” Jeter said. “Our goal as a team is to build with all the new players and win a championship.”
Senior captain Tess Borgosz faces the reality of her last season and looks to guide her team after losing seven seniors last year.
“It’s now or never this season,” Borgosz said. “I want us to be the best this year because after this season it’s over for me.”
According to Richardson, the hole left by those seven departures will be filled by the seven newcomers to the team. Transfers Aleah Nelson and Skye Williams will make a difference for the team right away, while freshmen forward Allie Kubek will help strengthen the team. Kubek was the Delaware State player of the year in 2019.
“We’d like to win the conference tourney,” Richardson said. “We have a good team with a lot of depth, we will be able to run the up-tempo style that suits us.”
According to Borgosz, the team needs to remain mentally strong throughout the season as a result of the uncertainties that surround COVID-19.
“We’re getting better every day,” said Borgosz. “We need to stay focused through all of this adversity because things will not be normal.”
The Tigers won the CAA Championship in 2019 and the team considers this season their opportunity to defend the title after this past season was cut short due to the pandemic.
“Winning the CAA is the ultimate goal,” Borgosz said. “But also having fun with my team and getting better is important too because I won’t get this chance again.”
Jeter believes the team is primed for another championship run.
“I think this is the best team we’ve had coming in,” Jeter said.
Richardson is optimistic the season will go off without a hitch and that the team will be ready for whatever comes their way in a season where anything could happen.
