Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Daily Vidette Archive Photo Head Coach Robin Pingeton and the Redbird women's basketball team will look to take a step further in 2007 than last year's WNIT appearance.

Media Credit: Daily Vidette Archive Photo Junior Kristi Cirone is one of many returning Redbirds who will look to make a difference this year.

ISU head coach Robin Pingeton was happy with her team's success last season. Happy, but far from satisfied. After the 'Birds lost in the semifinals of the MVC tournament, Pingeton accepted an invitation to participate in the WNIT.

Because of the relative inexperience of the team, which included only one senior last season in Holly Hallstrom, Pingeton knew any postseason experience would help her young squad.

Still, the WNIT was not exactly what Pingeton and company had hoped for.

"The experience of going to the WNIT last year was so valuable for us," Pingeton said. "But to be perfectly honest with you, we want to be in the NCAA tournament."

With a majority of last year's team returning and the addition of an outstanding freshman recruiting class, it appears the 'Birds may be dancing come March.

"We've got some very talented players returning and we have excellent leadership from kids that have been in our program for four years," Pingeton said.

"Last year we had a talented team but no matter which way you spun it, we were still very young. That's not going to be the case this year."

Leading the team into the regular season is last year's MVC Player of the Year, Kristi Cirone. Cirone averaged nearly 20 points and six assists a game in her sophomore campaign last year. While she can certainly fill it up (in the 'Birds first exhibition game against Northwest Missouri State she finished with 27 points on 9-for-13 shooting), Cirone's best asset may be her court sense and ability to distribute the rock.

"Kristi understands the importance of getting teammates involved in the offense early on and she helps set the tone for us," Pingeton said. "She can certainly do a lot of things for us and we are going to be looking for her to lead us."

In addition to Cirone, the 'Birds field a host of players that are capable of filling up the stat sheet. Senior guard Tiffany Hudson will play alongside Cirone at the guard position. Hudson was one of the members of the 2004 NCAA tournament team that shocked everyone in the MVC tournament. With her experience and Cirone's ability, the 'Birds possess arguably the best backcourt in the MVC.

Important to this season's success will be the play the 'Birds get from inside the paint. With numerous threats down low as well as beyond the arc, Pingeton knows the team will be tough to stop.

"We've always stressed the importance of being an inside-outside team," Pingeton said. "This year we've got more depth than we've ever had so we should be able to play the style we want to."

The depth should come into play earlier than expected, as the injury bug has hit the 'Birds hard. Already, the team is without Kenyatta Shelton, a member of the MVC All-Newcomer team last season after averaging 9.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Shelton tore her ACL this past season and Pingeton is unsure of whether or not she will be able to go this season or take a medical redshirt.

"She's worked extremely hard with her rehab and if she has anything to say about it, she'll be in uniform this year," Pingeton said. "She's a freakish-type athlete. I've never seen a kid come back this quickly from an ACL injury. Even right now, hobbled, she runs better than anyone on our team."

In addition to Shelton, center Nicole Lewis has been plagued by injuries for a majority of her career. After tearing her ACL in her freshman season, which resulted in a redshirt year, Lewis played last season with a stress fracture. This season, without any injuries to date, Pingeton hopes Lewis will finally be able to play to her potential.

"We've seen a lot of great things from Nicole so far," Pingeton said. "She's got all the tools it takes to become a tough force inside in our league."

Because of the injuries, Pingeton will look to returning forwards Maggie Krick and Ashleen Bracey to produce points and rebounds down low.

Adding depth to the roster are the four new recruits Pingeton brought in. Although all will eventually see playing time, Pingeton expects guard Shala Jackson to make an immediate impact.

Jackson lived up to her coach's praise coming off the bench to score 16 points in the 'Birds exhibition game.

"She's a great defender and can really put the ball on the floor to get her own shot as well as creating for others," Pingeton said of Jackson.

Recently, the 'Birds were selected to place second in the 2007-08 Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball preseason poll. Drake finished first by a six point margin.

Perhaps this is the reason Pingeton expects the Valley to be very close this year.

"The Valley is going to be extremely competitive," Pingeton said. "I feel there's more parity in the league this year than ever before." There are some tremendous blue-collar athletes who work extremely hard in this league."

The 'Birds will look to run up and down the court in a fast-paced offense ala the Phoenix Suns.

In addition, Pingeton hopes to implement an aggressive defensive strategy, one she hasn't been able to execute in her previous years as coach.

"As a coaching staff, we've pledged to play a more aggressive defense," Pingeton said. "But to do that we had to bring in the right athletes. This year, we have the kind of kids in the program that understand what it takes."

"The community wants to follow a winning program so we have to continue winning and playing an aggressive style of basketball," Pingeton said.

"I remember saying in my first press conference that we can play in front of 6,000-7,000 people on a consistent basis. With our progress, I think it's still something we can achieve."

The team's final tune-up is tonight as they host Upper Iowa in their final exhibition game. Tip off set for 7:05 p.m.

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