TCU women’s basketball just trying to have fun amid COVID-19, challenging times
.jpg "TCU women’s basketball, led by coach Raegan Pebley, is scheduled to start the season next Wednesday.")
TCU women’s basketball coach Raegan Pebley has a simple mindset when it comes to this season.
“We’re trying to make this season fun,” Pebley said. “There’s so much that is hard about right now, I just want this to be fun for the people that are serving this program and making choices every day to give them an opportunity to compete and play.
“I just want them to have fun. We’re doing everything we can to make that happen.”
Pebley made the comments during a Big 12 coaches teleconference to preview the upcoming women’s basketball season. TCU is scheduled to open its season at 1 p.m. next Wednesday against Incarnate Word at Schollmaier Arena.
One of the top storylines going into the season, of course, is the challenges of preparing for a season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The early days of the pandemic delivered a crushing blow to the TCU women’s program that had positioned itself for a March Madness berth. It would’ve been the Horned Frogs’ first under Pebley, and the program’s first since 2010.
The pandemic continues to create obstacles, too, with positive tests and close contact sidelining players for an extended period. Like just about every other team, TCU has battled its share of COVID-related issues in prepping for the season.
“This season may not always go to the most talented players or team, but the healthiest team,” Pebley said. “These women just continue to astound me with their choices that they make and the grit and toughness that they’re showing mentally as well as physically. I doubt there’s a team in the country that has not been impacted in some way, whether it’s close contact or positives or quarantine.
“These are relationship-driven people, so you ask them to go be in their room by themselves for two weeks, you can’t create a worse scenario for relationship-driven people. I’ve been super impressed with how they’ve handled it all. There’s no complaining. There’s an appreciation for every day we get to be out there practicing.”
For TCU, there is optimism surrounding the team despite being picked to finish ninth in the Big 12’s preseason poll.
Point guard Lauren Heard returns for her senior season after leading the team in scoring (18.4 points a game) last year. She received some preseason recognition this week, being named to the 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy watch list.
“Lauren is somebody that every year has added to her game,” Pebley said. “She’s become a better distributor and not just a scorer. And I think that mid-range game for her has been a big focus in the offseason. I’m excited to get her on the court. Her enthusiasm is infectious.”
Along with Heard, TCU returns players such as Michelle Berry and Yummy Morris. Berry and Morris were both contributors off the bench last season. The Frogs also have a number of newcomers, including JUCO point guard Caroline Germond. Germond, who is originally from France, had a standout two seasons at South Plains College before coming to TCU.
“We’ve got really good pieces,” Pebley said. “It’s just a matter of getting them completely jelled in and as much experience as possible in this short nonconference season.”
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 3:43 PM.
