There is no reason for either of Eastern’s basketball teams not to be holding their heads up even after starting their seasons out with several frustrating losses.
An 0-2 record is hard to explain on campus, which was the case for both teams after returning from their season-opening tournaments in Chicago and Swarthmore.
The women’s team has developed a good rhythm offensively, scoring an average of 59.4 points per game, but their defense has also allowed a considerable amount of points.
Senior Raya Shores has led the women’s team in scoring this year, averaging 18.4 points per game. In the team’s double overtime loss to Penn State-Berks, Shores put up an impressive 36 points.
Overall, the women’s team has shown a very balanced and entertaining offense to this point in the season. Against Arcadia, the women’s team shot 53.3 percent from three-point range.
Junior Mandy Kuiken has scored a solid average of 12 points per game and also has 15 steals on the season. In addition, first-year guard Emily Reeser has contributed in a big way, averaging nine points per game.
The men’s team has had similar struggles, giving up 79.6 points per game in their first five games of the season.
Coach Nadelhoffer adressed his team’s defense as one of his key concerns at the beginning of the season. Hope was regained however, when the Eagles played Arcadia on Dec. 2 and were able to hold them to a mere 47 points.
In their loss to Gwynedd-Mercy on Nov. 30, the men’s team struggled to prevent the three-point shot, allowing a 50 percent average from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Eagles shot a disgusting 0-16 from three-point range in the first half of the game and finished just 5-24 for the game.
One thing that has worked up to this point for the men’s team defensively has been their use of a press defense.
Trailing Gwynedd-Mercy by as many as 27 points early in the second half, the Eagles reverted to the press defense and were able to cut the lead to 12 points before wearing out.
Against Arcadia, the men’s team was able to improve considerably, playing much better offensively as well as overall defensively.
For both teams, the season is just under way, and there is still a lot of time remaining to work out the kinks.
With a little better defense and a continued solid offense, success should come.