Women basketball ready for final game against Bethune

The lack of discipline is now behind the women’s basketball team. The Lady Rattlers are on a two game winning streak following two conference losses. Among those losses was a head-shaking 65-48 beating at the hands of the Hampton University Lady Pirates.

Head coach LeDawn Gibson citied “disciplinary issues” and a “lack of focus” contributing to the team’s problems during the two-game losing streak. The losses knocked the Lady Rattlers out of a potential third or fourth place spot in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The losses are in the past now, as the Lady Rattlers are looking to close out the season on the high note they opened it. They have already secured their first winning season since 2003, a game Thursday against Bethune-Cookman University (15-13, 9-6 in the MEAC) will provide much needed momentum heading into the MEAC Tournament at Winston-Salem State.

The ladies are hitting their stride at the best time of the season. After scoring two points against the Lady Pirates, Antonia Bennet is emerging as a floor general, scoring 24 and 27 in her last two games.

Forward Qiana Donald said she was confident the team could shake off its losses and finish the season strong. After scoring 48 points against Howard and Hampton respectively, the team turned the offensive juice back on to score 66 and 83 in their last two games.

The late season surge will not be enough to vault the Lady Rattlers into the upper echelon of the MEAC. They will still have to play in the MEAC tournament without skipping forward to the quarterfinals. For a team that has struggled with injuries all season, the extra games are not needed. They are necessary, however, if the team wants to hoist a championship trophy.

Winning against the Lady Wildcats Thursday would bring a measure of ease to the women before the tournament. The Wildcats are 9-6 in the conference, one game ahead of the Lady Rattlers. The team has not defeated a team ahead of it other than the Lady Wildcats this season.

The team will face Bethune Cookman at home to close the season for the first time in over eight years. The regular season for the women will close Thursday in the Al Lawson Center after a 5:30 p.m. matchup.

The Lady Rattlers will look to continue their newfound pace against Bethune-Cookman. The last time the team faced the Lady Wildcats it won 75-65.