While much of the focus and hype surrounding Saint Louis basketball has been on the men’s team and their quest for a third straight NCAA tournament bid, the women’s basketball team is also beginning their season this week. Last season the team finished with a 12-19 record and earned an 11 seed in the A-10 tournament where they upset 6th seeded Butler in the first round. Defensively, the team allowed just 57.9 points per game, best since the 1985-86 season and held 11 opponents to less than 50 points, a school record. This year’s team is a little different from last year’s, however. With six freshmen and two sophomores, this is one of the youngest teams in the country.

“They’re delightful,” Coach Stone said about the freshmen. “They’re really good players, they’re wonderful human beings, they’re good student athletes and we’re going to take some early adjusting in terms of maturation because they have to play. We’re going to live with some freshmen mistakes early, but that’s okay because you’re going to watch them grow up overnight. From yesterday to today they’ve changed.”

With such a young team, you would think that it might be a challenge to find leadership, but that’s not necessarily the case.

“I don’t think it’s hard,” Coach Stone said. “I think it’s something I have to demand out of players like Mesi [Jemesia] Price whose a point guard. She’s only a sophomore because she’s coming off injury… Coming off three ACL injuries, her courage and her determination gives her natural leadership, plus she’s our point guard. Desirae ball is a junior…Desirae ball is our best defender, very, very solid performer, one of our scoring leaders. We’ll look to her a lot as well but leadership there is ingrained, she’s a natural born leader. And then Halee Castleman is your only senior, true senior, so those three I really look to.”

Taking a look at the schedule, there is no easing into the college game for this young team as they open the season at home against Mizzou. Last season, the team opened on the road at Mizzou and fell 67-51. It was a close game for a good portion, the team was within 1 point at 32-31 early in the second half, but Mizzou pulled away with a 15-1 run in the middle of the second half to all but put away the game. With such a young team, coach stone and the players are eager to get out on the court Friday night and show the fans and Mizzou that this isn’t going to be the same team from years past.

“I think it’s a great way to start. They’re a very respectable opponent, they’re really good and it’s in state,” Coach Stone said. “It’ll be fun for the girls, like Erin Nelson (who) is a freshman this year for us from St. Joe’s academy and two of the players on Missouri’s team are from St. Joe’s academy. There’s a girl from Webster Groves on their team, their point guard, it’s like a homecoming in some regard for all of them but it’s no easy task either. It’s one that we have to be better than we were in our exhibition game.”

After the Mizzou game, the team plays two more home games against Valparaiso and Eastern Illinois before heading on the road for four straight home games, including a game at Indiana.

After three more home games and a road game, the team will take part in the Cyclone Challenge at the University of Iowa on Dec. 28 and 29 against William & Mary and either Iowa State or Holy Cross. The team starts A-10 play on Jan. 2 on the road against Fordham and concludes the season at home against Massachusetts.

With a young team and a second year head coach, there are going to be some ups and downs but this is not a “throw away” season in the slightest. For second year head Coach Lisa Stone and the rest of the team, the goal is to win early and win often.

“I’m not patient,” Coach Stone commented. “We’re not going to ride a roller coaster this year. We need to continue to climb the ladder. Just stay patient, stay calm. There’s no need to panic. We have a great group of young women that are all in the boat. We have a tremendous chemistry.”

While it may be a bumpy ride early on, the women’s basketball program is definitely headed in the right direction with Coach Lisa Stone at the helm and a young team that can grow together over the course of this season and beyond.