Welcome to the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Tipoff for the 2018-19 Season. Today, we feature the Davidson Wildcats.
Davidson (Predicted A-10 Finish: 11th)
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After what Coach Gayle Coats Fulks accomplished in her inaugural season at Davidson, year two is full of promise.
The Wildcats doubled their win total last season under Coats Fulks, who became the school’s 12th head coach when she was hired in May 2017. Their 7-9 mark in Atlantic 10 play was a program best.
This year, the Wildcats remain one of the youngest teams in the league. Still, the expectations are that year two will be even better
“Last year we ended the year with everyone having two feet in,” Coats Fulks said. “That happened for every kid at a different point. Now everyone has two feet in from day one. The environment is so cool to see because the upperclassmen are really helping the freshmen.”
Even the long-range shooting, Davidson’s bugaboo in recent times, appears to be trending upward. The Wildcats were among the worst 3-points shooting teams in the nation two years ago, something that was “mind blowing at Steph Curry’s college,” Coats Fulks quipped. The Wildcats improved to middle-of-the-pack among Division I teams. The goal this year – top 33 percent nationally.
The growing pains are past, and a healthy roster is prepping to continue moving in a winning direction.
A look at the Wildcats:
Coach: Gayle Coats Fulks, 2nd season at Davidson, 12-18 overall and at Davidson
Last year: Wildcats finished 12-18, 7-9 in the Atlantic 10. Lost to Richmond 62-53 in the first round of the A-10 championship. Doubled their win total from the year prior.
They’ll miss: 6-1 Guard/Forward Mackenzie Latt, who graduated as one of the most decorated players in school history. Her 1,591 career points are good for third all time; the Richland, Michigan native finished second for career rebounding (885) and made field goals. Latt signed a contract to play professionally in Portugal.
Andrea Robinson, the 6-1 junior forward who underwent a bone marrow transplant over the summer due to leukemia, remains on the roster but is unlikely to play this season while she continues to recuperate.
Impact returners: 5-9 senior guard Justine Lyon(14.6 ppg; started 25 of 28 games played; scored in double figures 25 times); 5-8 sophomore guard Katie Turner11.4 ppg, 3.6 apg; 3.5 rpg; drained 75 3-pointers as a freshman (a single-season school record) and started all 30 games. Turner was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team.
Newbies of note: Guard Cassidy Gould– the Australian spent two seasons as a developmental player with the Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL meaning she was on the practice squad against the WNBA’s Liz Cambage for two seasons. Gould has played on a 24-second shot clock since age 12. “This kid knows how to make decisions with the ball,” Coats Fulks said.
Reasons to be optimistic:
Lyon is finally healthy again after battling injuries most of the conference season. The ankle she sprained last January against Richmond kept her from practices, which hindered her development.
“We only used her in 10 percent of our practices after that,” Coats Fulks said. “We’re excited to have her back and healthy.”
Lyon and Turner figure to be something of a dynamic duo given their chemistry. Coats Fulks admired Turner from the first day of practice, touting her IQ. “The kid chose Davidson over MIT,” Coats Fulks said. “She’s a natural leader. She struggled early but she’s figured out how to be a point guard in our league. I’m excited about her growth and her and Justine playing together for a whole year.”
Exceeding all expectations in preseason is 6-3 junior forward Ally Welling: “She is looking great. She really understands what we’re trying to do, and she is in better shape physically,” said Coats Fulks. Welling played in 28 games last season; expect to be a better scorer and rebounder.
Kianna Speight, a 5-8 guard now two years removed from an ACL tear, is healthy and capable of burying a bunch from beyond the arc. Expect Davidson to be a better offensive team in 2018-19.
X factor: Don’t sleep on 6-0 guard/forward Sarah Donovan, who came off the bench in 25 games last season to shoot 47.4 percent from the floor and average 7.4 ppg. “She’s got a chance to be a better player than Mackenzie,” said Coats Fulks, touting Donovan’s athleticism. “She shoots the 3 a lot better. She stretches the floor for us. She’s going to make us a lot faster.”
Circle the date(s): There will be key games against Princeton, Elon and N.C. State, but Coats Fulks is eager to see her team host William and Mary on Nov. 24. Last season the Tribe routed Davidson 73-55, a miserable outing Coats Fulks bemoans, which came on the heels of a loss to Princeton. “I didn’t think the talent gap was as big as the score indicated,” she said. “That game will be a good measuring stick of where we are as a team.”
Bottom line: Davidson is moving in the right direction, and while the Wildcats might not challenge for one of the top spots in the league just yet, they’ll be a dangerous opponent, particularly if their shooting improves from the outside.