ASU women eyes move up SoCon standings
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

Generally speaking, college basketball teams don’t like to start freshmen at point guard.

Appalachian State women’s basketball coach Adrienne Shuler is no different. However, she’s got little choice.

When the Mountaineers take to the court Nov. 13 at N.C. State, it’s likely that not only will the starting point guard be a freshman, but her backup will also be a newcomer to the program. Then again, the Mountaineers’ program is young with five freshmen, three sophomores, one junior and two seniors on the roster.

Robin Colvert, a 5-foot-11 freshman from Mitchellville, Md., is one of the leading candidates for the point guard job. Colvert averaged 10 points and six assists at the Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Md., leading her team to a 25-5 record, 15-3 in conference, last season.

“We’re definitely starting a freshman at point guard,” Shuler said. “Robin Colvert has size and athletic ability on both ends of the floor, so she’s solid from that standpoint.”

Brittany Spencer, a 5-6 freshman from Virginia Beach, Va., is the other possibility. Spencer averaged 16.0 points and six assists per game while playing at Ocean Lakes High.

No matter who it is, the point guard has one major responsibility, make sure that she gets the ball to Whitney Tossie.

Now entering her senior year, Tossie was the only Mountaineer to play in each of the team’s 31 games last year. She led the Mountaineers with 15.8 points per game and will be the clear number one option on offense.
Tossie, an excellent defender who had 11 steals against Elon and 11 rebounds against Georgetown last year, will have to provide leadership on both ends of the court if the Mountaineers are to be successful this year.

Shuler feels Tossie, who has added a 3-point shot to her arsenal, can do that.

“She has great intensity on both ends of the floor,” Shuler said. “Defensively, she has a very good presence for us as much as doing things like reading the passing lanes, creating turnovers and going from one point of the court to the other and going to the basket. She brings the total package to the floor every day.”

However, Shuler does not want Tossie to be the only option.

“We can’t be a one-woman team,” Shuler said. “But she is a big part of what we are.”

Appalachian State must also get improved production from other veterans, including Courtney Cunningham, Gigi Thomas and 6-3 center Brittany Mixon.

Thomas, who started 24 games as a 5-8 freshman guard last year, was third on the team in scoring with 10.3 points per game.

“She has had a great postseason and preseason,” Shuler said. “When we started practicing, she understands that she has to one one who we will throw a lot of stuff to on both ends of the floor.”

Cunningham, a transfer from Bevill state Community College last year, is a 6-1 forward who “has to become more aggressive than in the past,” according to Shuler.

Mixon is the second-tallest player on the court. Karina Mill, a 6-4 sophomore from Ottawa, Ontario, is the tallest Mountaineer.

“She’s expanded her game,” Shuler said of Mixon. “She’s got a year experience under her belt.”

That can’t be said for the other three freshmen Shuler brought in. Francis Hernandez and Sam Ramirez are consistent shooters, according to Shuler. Taylor Lake, a 6-1 forward, is the other freshman.

“Hopefully all of them will see significant playing time,” Shuler said.

Appalachian State’s first home game is Nov. 16 against N.C. Central.

ASU’s women’s roster
No. Name Pos. Ht Year Hometown
3 Robin Colbert G 5-11 Fr. Mitchellville, Md.
4 Gigi Thomas G 5-8 So. Tallahassee, Fla.
10 Taylor Lake F 6-1 Fr. Greenbelt, Md.
12 Brittney Spencer G 5-6 Fr. Virginia Beach, Va.
14 Sam Ramirez G 5-8 Fr. Hope Mills, N.C.
15 Frances Hernandez G 5-8 Fr. Forest City, N.C.
21 Karina Mill C 6-4 So. Ottawa, Ontario
24 Courtney Cunningham F 6-1 Sr. Mobile, Ala.
25 Whitney Tossie G 5-9 Sr. Oviedo, Fla.
30 Whitney Randolph F 5-11 So. Gainesville, Fla.
34 Brittany Mixon F 6-3 Jr. Altamonte Spgs, Fla.
Head coach: Adrienne Shuler. Assistants: Britt King, Lindsay Smith, Allison Gregory.

ASU 2007-08 women’s schedule
Date         Opponent     Time
Nov. 13 at N.C. State 7 p.m.
Nov. 16 N.C. Central 7 p.m.
Nov. 20 at Gardner-Webb 7 p.m.
Nov. 25 at Virginia Commonwealth 2 p.m.
Nov. 28 East Carolina 7 p.m.
Dec. 3 Radford 7 p.m.
Dec. 14 *at College of Charleston 7 p.m.
Dec. 16 *at Georgia Southern 2 p.m.
Dec. 19 &at Central Florida 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 20 &vs. LaSalle 5 p.m.
Dec. 28 $at San Diego 9 p.m.
Dec. 29 $vs. Texas/DePaul 9 or 11 p.m.
Jan. 5 *Chattanooga 2 p.m.
Jan. 7 *Western Carolina 7 p.m.
Jan. 12 *at Davidson 2 p.m.
Jan. 16 East Tennessee State 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 *at Elon 2 p.m.
Jan. 21 *at UNC Greensboro 3 p.m.
Jan. 26 *at Furman 2 p.m.
Jan. 28 *Wofford 5 p.m.
Feb. 2 *at Chattanooga 5 p.m.
Feb. 4 *at Western Carolina 5 p.m.
Feb. 9 *Davidson 1 p.m.
Feb. 13 *at Furman 7 p.m.
Feb. 16 *Elon 2 p.m.
Feb. 19 *UNC Greensboro 7 p.m.
Feb. 25 *Wofford 6 p.m.
Feb. 28 *College of Charleston 7 p.m.
March 1 *Georgia Southern 1 p.m.
March 6-9 %Southern Conference Tournament
*Southern Conference games
%at Charleston, S.C.
& UCF Holiday Classic in Orlando, Fla.
$Maggie Dixon Surf and Slam in San Diego

ASU women’s 2006-07 results
Date         Opponent            Result
Nov. 11 Central Florida W. 64-44
Nov. 14 Georgia Tech L. 79-53
Nov. 18 at Alabama A&M W. 86-64
Nov. 21 at East Tennessee State L. 104-87
Nov. 25 Georgetown L. 81-74 (OT)
Nov. 28 Winthrop W. 84-61
Dec. 1 #vs. Richmond L. 63-62
Dec. 2 #at New Orleans W. 85-70
Dec. 5 at Winston-Salem State W. 66-52
Dec. 16 *Elon W. 63-52
Dec. 18 at Radford L. 68-56
Dec. 21 Virginia Commonwealth W. 79-68
Dec. 29 *at College of Charleston L. 73-65
Jan. 2 *at Furman W. 72-62
Jan. 6 *Chattanooga L. 84-74
Jan. 8 *at Western Carolina L. 71-60
Jan. 13 *UNC Greensboro L. 68-61
Jan. 16 *Wofford L. 69-65
Jan. 20 *at Georgia Southern W. 85-68
Jan. 22 *at Davidson L. 75-62
Jan. 27 *College of Charleston 69-47
Jan. 29 *Furman 69-60
Feb. 1 *at Chattanooga L. 76-58
Feb. 5 *Western Carolina L. 77-68
Feb. 10 *at UNC Greensboro L. 81-62
Feb. 12 *at Wofford L. 63-52
Feb. 14 *Georgia Southern L. 68-61
Feb. 20 *Davidson L. 68-64
Feb. 24 *at Elon W. 63-61
Feb. 27 %Elon W. 60-44
Feb. 28 %Chattanooga L. 84-60
*Southern Conference games
%Southern Conference Tournament
#Lady Privateer Classic