Owls Basketball: Lady Owls Hope for Winning Season

Owls Basketball: Lady Owls Hope for Winning Season

BY DAVID KAPLAN
Rice News Staff
November 18, 1999

The last two seasons have been outstanding for the Rice women’s basketball team, and this year could be even better.

The team is coming off of its first ever back-to-back 20-win seasons, with some of the key contributors returning, including seniors Marla Brumfield (guard), Jenny Cafferty (guard), Kirra Jordan (forward) and Kim Smallwood (guard/forward). New team members include Kenya Tuttle (center), a junior transfer from Southwest Missouri State, and several talented freshmen.

The ’99-’00 squad will showcase an interesting mix of the young and old. The team features four seniors, three freshmen and one red-shirted freshman–seven newcomers in all.

Coach Cristy McKinny says that this year’s team is “the deepest we’ve ever been since I’ve been at Rice. Right now they are all pushing each other for playing time, which makes everyone’s game improve.”

More good news: So far, this year’s team is healthy. Last year’s squad was plagued with injuries throughout the season.

The Owls have gone to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament two years in a row, but this year team members are hoping for something bigger: their first invitation to an NCAA tournament.

The lady Owls’ first official game will be against Illinois State on Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. in Autry Court.

A feature on the Owls women’s basketball team will appear in an upcoming issue of the Rice News.