How two transfers will be the key to TCU women’s basketball rebuild
In the past, trying to rebuild a basketball program that won one conference game would take years, sometimes needing two coaches.
Things have changed thanks to the transfer portal which has allowed coaches to acquire experienced talent quicker than ever. New TCU women’s basketball coach Mark Campbell is relying on six transfers to help the Horned Frogs get back to their winning ways.
While they all could play significant roles, the two Campbell will be depending on most is Baylor transfer Jaden Owens and Oregon transfer Sedona Prince. The two are proven commodities at the Power Five level and will be the focal point of Campbell’s pick-and-roll heavy offense.
“They played together in high school,” Campbell said at Big 12 media days. “There’s already a synergy, there’s already a comfort level there, but with what we do it starts with our point guard and center. You’ve got to have an elite playmaking point guard and an elite center to do what we’re trying to do.”
Campbell has called Owens the best point guard in the country after leading the Big 12 in assists a year ago and finishing top 15 in assists per game.
That type of praise and belief has only empowered Owens in her short time on campus.
“It’s amazing, that doesn’t happen often,” Owens said. “To hear that from a coach that you’d do anything for it means a lot. It just makes me want to go a little bit harder for him.”
Prince knows the feeling well from getting to know Campbell while he was on staff at Oregon. Prince was set on heading to the WNBA until Campbell got the job with the Horned Frogs.
“It’s awesome, when he left Oregon I never thought I would have the chance to play for him again,” Prince said. “So now being under his program and being able to learn from him everyday is a blessing.”
At Oregon, the 6-foot-7 Prince developed into a versatile big that helped lead the Ducks to the NCAA Tournament. She was also a trailblazer.
It was Prince that made the viral video about the unsatisfactory conditions female players had to deal with while their male counterparts were treated much better. She had no idea at the time that her video would be a pivotal moment in the growth of women’s basketball.
“There’s no way to know it would’ve gone to that level,” Prince said. “I just wanted to show someone. It’s been incredible (to see the growth).”
Women’s college basketball has never been more visible with Iowa recently playing DePaul at the Hawkeye’s football stadium last week.
The Horned Frogs want to get in that mix of high-profile teams that include Iowa, LSU, South Carolina and so many more. Those teams have been defined by an elite forward or excellent guard or sometimes both.
With Owens, Campbell believes he has a floor general that can maximize this offense.
“Jaden is proven, she had a huge role on a top-25 team,” Campbell said. “She’s old school, pass first, a pure point guard. She’s an elite defender and elite leader, she fits us to a tee, which is how she ended up with us.”
Coming from a prestigious program like Baylor has taught Owens a lot about what it takes to win in the Big 12 and on a national level. With so many new faces and some of the returners being young, her experience has valuable to mentally preparing the roster for what’s ahead.
“Since I’ve been in the Big 12 I know that everyday, every night you have to prepared,” Owens said. “There’s never going to be an easy game and now we have more teams, you always have to be prepared no matter who you’re playing.”
With an even bigger role Owens could continue to flourish in her final season of college basketball after a career year at Baylor where she averaged eight points and 5.8 assists for the Bears.
Having a big like Prince has made things easy for Owens, especially in a system that almost feels designed for her and Prince.
“We’ve known each other for like seven years,” Owens said. “I feel like we’ve been connected on and off the floor for so long so it makes it way easier when we’re playing this year.”
It won’t just be easier for them, Owens and Prince have the skill sets to make life easier for the whole roster like sharpshooter Madison Conner and returning guard Knisha Godfrey.
The Horned Frogs are more talented and more experienced than a year ago, but what does success look like after an 8-23 season a year ago?
“Maxing out our full potential,” Prince said. “We have a lot to give as a team and it’s just about doing everything we can so that when we look back on our season we have no regrets and we’re proud of what we’ve done.”
With Campbell at the helm and an influx of talent, that goal is more than attainable for the Horned Frogs in year one.
