First year head coach Megan Gebbia and the Eagles women’s basketball team won an exhibition game over Indiana University (Penn.) 76-62, on Nov. 3, showcasing a new system at Bender Arena.
Under the new coaching system, players will have more control in the offensive decision-making, which both benefited and hurt AU.
“The whole purpose[of the system] is that it can’t be scouted,” said junior forward Aaron
Zimmerman. “You have to know how to read your defender. When we played smart it worked great. When we didn’t it worked against us.”
AU’s starting lineup featured 2014 NCAA Division I women’s basketball CLASS nominee Alexis Dobbs and four returning starters: fellow seniors Jen Dumiak, Sarah Kiely, Geleisa George and junior Arron Zimmerman.
The Eagles got off to a sluggish beginning, allowing IUP to jump to a 7-2 lead quickly, with junior forward Ashley Stoner for Indiana dominating the post and collecting six rebounds in the first half alone.
“I was disappointed by how many times we just looked up when a shot went up and didn’t even think about putting contact on somebody,” said coach Gebbia. “We didn’t double down on the block like I asked them to on zero, who’s just a beast for her size.”
Despite the Eagles’ slow start in the first half, they led in the game going into halftime 38-31 through the effort of stellar perimeter play and smart passing. Senior guard Ti’Asia McGeorge made both of her three pointers in the first half and junior guard Jen Dumiak contributed three assists.
The Eagles experienced a similar second half performance, with IUP stealing the lead less than three minutes into the half with a 10-point run, which forced AU to call a timeout.
“I told them not to panic,” Gebbia said. “And they picked themselves up and controlled the momentum from there-on.”
After regaining their composure, the Eagles were able to manage the pace and regain the lead for the rest of the game despite IUP’s aggressive style.
Standouts for the Eagles included Zimmerman, who totaled 14 points and six rebounds, and McGeorge who converted three of her four three-point attempts and added two steals.
Dobbs was also impressive. Though she only completing two of her eight field goal attempts, she kept the tempo for AU, totaling four assists and playing 27 minutes; more than any other Eagle.
Overall, Gebbia said she was optimistic for her team’s upcoming season.
“I’m a defensive person and that’s why I’m a little disappointed today. To me, giving up 62 points to this team is not acceptable,” she said. “But we also did a lot of positive things. We have 12 kids that can all play and they all have different strengths.”
The Eagles will host three straight home games, starting with their final exhibition game against Messiah College on Nov. 6. Their first game of the season will be on Nov. 12 at Bender Arena against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
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