St. John's University Athletics
Women's Basketball 2005-06 Season Preview
11/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2005
QUEENS, N.Y. - The excitement surrounding the 2005-06 St. John's University women's basketball team and fourth-year coach Kim Barnes Arico is unmistakable. It is felt by the program itself, as nine players and four starters return from one of the most successful seasons in school history. It can also be sensed in Taffner Field House, the team's new state-of-the-art practice facility and one of the premier buildings on campus. Factor in a top-notch recruiting class and two home games in Madison Square Garden, and the buzz about the team and this season grows.
With the pieces in place, Year Four of the Barnes Arico Era has the potential to be the best yet. A season ago, St. John's finished with 20 wins for the first time in 17 years and advanced to the second round of the WNIT.
"We have a strong group returning from last year's team," Barnes Arico says. "We are also very excited about the great freshmen class that we signed. We got three quality basketball players, but also great students from great families."
Returning for the Red Storm at the top of an extremely deep roster is the exciting duo of Kia Wright and Angela Clark. Wright, a preseason All-BIG EAST selection, comes back from a breakout first year in a Red Storm jersey. She ranked third in the conference in scoring, averaging 14.8 points per game and second in steals with 2.4 per game. Overall, she led St. John's averaging 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
With a year of BIG EAST basketball under her belt, Wright returns as one of the most dynamic guards in the league. Barnes Arico points out an increased consistency and fitness level, as well as the respect of a conference in which she spent her first year in last season and was named a second team all-BIG EAST selection.
Complementing Wright down low is another exciting junior, Angela Clark. Clark, a BIG EAST All-Freshman selection two seasons ago, had another stellar year in 2004-05 for the Red Storm. She led the team and ranked fifth in the league with 8.4 rebounds per game, and led all players with 10 double-doubles. Her 11.6 points per game ranked second on the team.
Former high school teammates at Copiague High School on Long Island, the pair now has experience playing on the collegiate level with each other and should provide the Red Storm with an exciting one-two punch.
"Our junior class could be really special," Barnes Arico says. "These two young ladies have been playing together for a long period of time. We are expecting big things from both of them."
BACKCOURT
Joining Wright in the backcourt is second-year point guard Andrea Peterson, who started 18 games for the Red Storm last year, averaging nearly 30 minutes and more than five points per game. She had some impressive outings in her rookie season and was named the BIG EAST's Rookie of the Week early in the season.
Senior Tara Walker is also an impact player returning for Barnes Arico's squad. She averaged 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, both of which ranked her third on the team. A former All-American for the National Championship team at Monroe Community College, Walker adjusted well to her first season of BIG EAST basketball and will be called upon in 2005-06 to provide consistent scoring and a physical presence.
Another senior, Greeba Barlow, will also be relied on for experience gained from her first year in a Red Storm jersey. She averaged 8.3 points per game and had the distinction of being the first player in Coach Barnes Arico's three-year tenure to be named the BIG EAST's Player of the Week. Barlow played her best in big games, as her strongest showing was a 19-point performance in the Red Storm's victory over nationally ranked Boston College.
Rounding out the senior class in the backcourt is Mercedes Dukes and Dana Petersen. Dukes appeared in 25 games last season and is what Barnes Arico calls "one of the most explosive and athletic players on our team."
Petersen, meanwhile, is the only player on the team to have been on the team all three seasons of Barnes Arico's time at St. John's. Last season, she played in 16 games and started one.
"With such a large group of seniors, we want their leadership to take us through this year and for them to finish their careers on a successful note," Barnes Arico says. "They are responsible for representing the program."
Newcomers Lisa Claxton and Monique McLean will look to compete for time at the guard positions as well. A native of Hempstead, Long Island, Claxton graduated from prep powerhouse Cardinal O'Hara in Philadelphia, Pa., and returns to her home state of New York for her collegiate career.
McLean, meanwhile, comes to St. John's from Newport News, Va., where she was Virginia's Player of the Year in 2005 and a four-year standout at Bruton High School. She has the versatility to play different guard positions for the Red Storm, and, along with Claxton, will look to make an immediate impact.
FRONTCOURT
In addition to Clark, Danielle Chambers will be a force at the post position. The 6-0 senior worked her way into the starting lineup last season while averaging 5.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Barnes Arico refers to her as one of the team's "most aggressive and toughest players" and also notes that her defensive skills give her the responsibility of guarding the opposing team's best post player.
Sophomore Tiina Sten, meanwhile, spent her summer playing in the FIBA Under 20 European Championships for Finland following her freshman year. She saw time in 19 games during her rookie season at St. John's.
Newcomer Angel Tate will provide depth in the frontcourt. A two-year captain and four-year letterwinner at Wenonah High School in Birmingham, Ala., she was also the valedictorian of her graduating class. She averaged 27 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Dragons and was a Birmingham News Super Senior, an honor that names the top 12 girls basketball players in Alabama.
THE SCHEDULE
The St. John's University women's basketball team will play a pair of home contests at Madison Square Garden and face 10 opponents that advanced to last year's postseason during its 2005-06 season.
"The opportunity for us to play two games at Madison Square Garden is very exciting and I know it is something our players are really looking forward to," Barnes Arico says. "Our non-league and league schedule has gotten tougher. The BIG EAST is going to be tremendous with the addition of five new teams."
The 2005-06 campaign gets underway on Nov. 18, when the Red Storm hosts Boston University at Carnesecca Arena following a Nov. 10 exhibition game against Team Concept. Away non-conference tilts at Army (Nov. 20) and Monmouth (Nov. 23) and home matchups with Niagara (Nov. 27) and Fairleigh Dickinson (Nov. 30) follow before the Red Storm head to Chicago, Ill., for the Roger and Mildred White Invitational on the campus of Northwestern.
While in the Windy City, the Red Storm will face Wake Forest, which advanced to the third round of last year's WNIT, and either host Northwestern or Miami University (Ohio).
The BIG EAST season gets underway on Dec. 6, when St. John's travels to Milwaukee to take on league newcomer Marquette in CSTV's National Game of the Week.
The Red Storm then gets a break from conference action by traveling to Hofstra and hosting Stony Brook, before heading to San Diego, Calif., for the Surf `N Slam Holiday Classic on Dec. 28 and 30.
While in California, the Red Storm will face ACC power Duke, which advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament a season ago, and either the University of San Diego or Montana State.
"Our tournaments at Northwestern and San Diego are very exciting. We have the opportunity to play some great teams," Barnes Arico said.
When Barnes Arico's squad returns to Queens in January, it will begin the heart of its BIG EAST schedule, starting with a home game against Notre Dame on Jan. 4.
Following conference games at Georgetown (Jan. 7), vs. Pittsburgh (Jan. 11), at 2005 BIG EAST Tournament champion Connecticut (Jan. 14) and at BIG EAST newcomer Cincinnati (Jan. 18), the Red Storm returns home to New York for a game in Madison Square Garden against Villanova on Jan. 21.
"In years past, there have been many marquee women's basketball games at Madison Square Garden," Barnes Arico said. "For St. John's basketball, to have the opportunity to play not just one game, but two games there says a lot about our program and the university's commitment to our program. It's great for our kids to have a chance to play on the same floor as some of the all-time greatest players in our sport."
The Red Storm can again be seen at the Garden on Jan. 29 when it hosts West Virginia, the 2005 WNIT runner-up and the team that ended St. John's postseason run a season ago.
The Red Storm will get its first look at last year's BIG EAST regular-season champion, Rutgers, on Feb. 1 in Piscataway, N.J.. Three-straight home games follow against South Florida (Feb. 4), Marquette (Feb. 8) and Louisville (Feb. 15) before the Red Storm wraps up its road slate with games at DePaul (Feb. 18) and Syracuse (Feb. 25).
The regular-season finale will be Feb. 28 at Carnesecca Arena, when St. John's hosts Seton Hall. The 2005 BIG EAST Tournament will be held March 5-8 at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Conn.
