Young Redbirds ready to mature

Posted on October 12, 2016

By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – Half of the Illinois State women’s basketball squad is comprised of freshmen, but Redbird coach Barb Smith hopes they’ll grow up fast.

The Redbirds return five players, including two starters, from a squad that finished last season 8-22 with a 6-12 mark and a seventh-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference. With one transfer and six freshmen, the Redbirds have seven newcomers out of the 12-player roster, which Smith said might make the Redbirds the youngest team in the country. The fourth-year coach is confident the team will mature into a solid unit.

“I’m anxious for them to do that because they have so much potential,” Smith said. “If they’re pushed, they’ll get there.”

The Redbirds will find out where they stand right away with the Nov. 11 season opener at Arizona State.

“Our schedule is tougher than it was last year,” Smith confirmed. “We got tougher with a younger team, which some people may think isn’t too smart, but I think we’ll get there faster with this schedule.”

Senior guard Taylor Stewart is ready for a leadership role with her young team.

“I feel like I’ve been working my way into this role, especially after last year, so it’s not too far of a jump for me,” Stewart said. “But definitely, constantly communicating, talking all the time. I have to be the one to bring the energy every single day.”

The Redbirds see their first outside competition with a Nov. 1 exhibition against Harris-Stowe at Redbird Arena. After an opening weekend trip to Arizona State and Illinois-Chicago, the regular season home opener is Nov. 19 against Valparaiso.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

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