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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

ERIC V. ERIK: Women’s basketball

EricGrover
Eric Grover
EricSchmidt
Erik Schmidt

Welcome to the first installment of Eric vs. Erik, where the Marquette Tribune’s similarly named columnists bicker about the big sports issuesaround campus. Today: women’s basketball.

Eric: Okay, before we get started, I’d just like to point out that the women’s soccer team won its game on Sunday and that I’m not a jinx.

So, the women’s basketball team has not been to the NCAAs since 2007. Do you think they can make it to the tournament this year, and what kind of pressure is Terri Mitchell under to do so?

Erik: First of all Eric, you’re a walking plague. I’m firmly convinced that everything and anything you touch turns to dust. I think the entire women’s soccer team needs to bathe in Holy Water and wear garlic around their necks before their next game.

Getting to your question, I’d say that this team is a longshot to make the tournament. They have Angel Robinson and that’s about it. The frontcourt is decent and has some depth, but the backcourt is as shallow as a kiddie pool after a Warren Sapp cannonball.

And yes, Mitchell should be at least a little nervous. Last season she had Krystal Ellis, the most accomplished scorer in Marquette history, and the team barely finished over .500. Maybe it wasn’t Mitchell’s fault, maybe Ellis just collapsed under the pressure, but I still think she’s in a dicey situation.

Eric: Geez Erik, you’re a little uppity. Did someone not have their apple juice and Flintstones vitamin today? Also, you’re completely wrong. While I agree with you that this is not a tournament team, Terri Mitchell is going nowhere for several reasons.

First of all, she’s been here 14 years now and she’s built a solid reputation. Secondly, she brought home some hardware just two years ago with the WNIT title. Yes, it was the WNIT, but only two coaches a year end the postseason with wins and she was one of them. It’s a feather in the program’s cap. And lastly, and this is a very delicate subject, but the loss of Mitchell’s father in April must be taken into account. It has to be emotionally draining on her and a sub-par season is certainly understandable given the circumstances. It’s not going to happen.

Erik: You and Mitchell have something in common: If you continue to write those God-awful rants you pass off as columns, you’re going to end up working at Jimmy John’s by January, and if Mitchell and the team fizzle out again this year, look for her to start seeking future employment. I don’t think it’s reasonable to take into account her past success (luckily she has past success, unlike you) because of how disappointing they were last season. The blame goes on the players as well, but Mitchell seemed to have zero control of the team. She needs to tighten up the reigns and get it together. Fast.

Mitchell has shown she can produce wins and she promised that she’s rediscovered the passion that abandoned her all of last year. So even if this team falls short this season, which is probable, Mitchell is likely to stay put. Too bad I can’t say the same thing for you. Just for the sake of arguing, if this team were to make the tournament, how would they do it?

Eric: Yeah, it is too bad I’m graduating. Now there won’t be any good columnists next year. And how was that not a rant right there, hypocrite?

Anyway, the key to the team having success has to be the establishment of a dependable second option on offense. Angel Robinson cannot win games by herself (although she may try). Other players on this team need to step up, notably the two seniors — Lauren Thomas-Johnson, who looked improved from last year at Marquette Madness, and Janelle Harris. In addition, Jessica Pachko needs to build on her all-conference freshman team honors and become a solid interior presence. That’s the only way I see it happening.

Erik: Ok, Eric, time to finish you off. The Thomas-Johnson experiment has been a disaster so far. She’s a great athlete, but her field goal percentage is lower than her age, which is kind of a problem. Harris is experienced but isn’t going to contribute enough to make a difference. Pachko is a nice player, and if she continues to develop into Robinson’s second fiddle, we could be looking at a tournament team next season. But for now, we’re looking at a bottom of the barrel team in the Big East that’s filled with tons of mediocre talent. I think you should suit up for them — you’d fit in nicely.

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