Mercer women's basketball team looks to build off strong 2015-16 season

With a roster featuring no seniors, one junior transfer, six sophomores and seven freshmen, the Mercer women's basketball team got a new "kind, gentle, patient" head coach Susie Gardner.

And that approach paid off as the Bears finished with a 24-9 record, shared the Southern Conference regular-season title and played in the WNIT.

But the Bears probably won't play for the same Gardner next season.

"I tried to be a little more patient, realizing that every day was going to be overwhelming for them," Gardner said of her players. "As the season progressed, however, I found myself being less patient because we were repeating the same things to certain players over and over. I think next year is going to be, 'OK, you have been taught how to do this, let's do it at college speed, and let's get moving.'

"I will not be the kind, gentle, patient ... I will still be kind, but I won't be as patient with this group because if you truly want to win a championship and they truly want their actions to be what they speak, they've got to be tougher in certain situations. They've got to be able to handle adversity."

SOPHOMORE STARS

Last year's Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, Kahlia Lawrence, was this year's conference player of the year. Lawrence averaged 18.0 points per game this season, but Gardner says her star will work hard this offseason to continue to grow as a player.

As with most of her players, Gardner said that starts with improving on defense.

"Even though she was the player of the year, and she is a great player, and I'm so pleased she's at Mercer, she's just a sophomore," Gardner said. "There's a long list of items that she can work on this spring and summer, and I know she will."

Point guard Sydni Means took a big step forward this season and was named to the conference's all-tournament team after three strong games in Asheville, North Carolina.

"Syndi probably needs to develop an outside shot. She's very, very crafty with the ball. She gets to the rim, hits layups like, 'Wow, what a shot,' " Gardner said. "But people also sag off her, and she needs to develop the confidence and get in the gym and work on that shot from 15 to 18 feet. I'd be pleased if she can work on a 3-point shot, but I'm not going to get greedy, so I'd say 15 to 18 feet right now."

NEXT STEP FOR FRESHMEN

Linnea Rosendal was the conference's freshman of the year, while KeKe Calloway was named to the all-freshman team. And Rachel Selph started every game at center.

Gardner is looking for all three players to add some toughness and confidence: Calloway confidence in her all-around game, Rosendal confidence to add more offense to her deadly 3-point shot and Selph confidence to become more productive offensively.

"When you watch (Rachel) in a gym by herself, she is probably one of the most skilled post players I have ever coached coming in as a freshman. She's fundamentally sound," Gardner said. "She's got great moves. She's got a beautiful jumper. But we didn't get the productivity from her in the games that I thought we were going to get. But she's got a tremendous work ethic, as well. She's just got to be more productive in games.

"(Linnea's) just an amazing shooter. Teams are going to start guarding her a little bit more closely, and we started working on this with her toward the end of the year. She has the ability to put the ball on the floor, and she started doing that more: put the ball on the floor a little bit more, become a little better decision-maker. (KeKe) has to be more consistent, and she has to be more confident that if she misses her first shot, shooters need to believe, 'My next shot is going in.' But if she misses her first shot, she's almost done for the day. She's a great shooter, and she's possibly the most gifted player on our team."

One freshman Gardner won't have to worry about being tougher is Amanda Thompson, who started every game, tied for the team lead in rebounding and led the team in charges taken.

"Once again, she's one of the first players in the gym, and I think she and Rachel will come in the gym, and they're good friends, and they work on their games together," Gardner said.

THE NEW FACES

Germani Abram, a 6-foot-2 forward from Huntsville, Alabama, and India Blakely, a 5-7 guard from Troy, Alabama, will join the program next season as freshmen.

Gardner expects Abram to help the team on defense and on the boards, while she expects Blakely to take some pressure off Means at the point guard spot.

This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Mercer women's basketball team looks to build off strong 2015-16 season ."