The opening game of the 2019-20 season for the Oswego State women’s basketball team summed up the agony the team felt all of last season, a 62-61 loss to Hilbert College Tuesday night. Close games, but more times than not, the scoreboard did not go the Lakers’ way. Oswego State looks to turn around a 2-23 record from last season.
That 2-23 record was last place in the SUNYAC and the team went 1-17 against conference foes. Oswego State’s one win in conference play was a 13-point road win over SUNY Cortland on Jan. 12. Oswego State’s other win on the season was an opening night victory at Clarkson University. The team has not won a game in Max Ziel gymnasium since Jan. 12, 2018, a 58-44 victory over SUNY Potsdam. If Oswego State is able to turn around some of its closer losses from last season and if it can start to defend home court with some sort of proficiency, the Lakers will see a much improved record.
On opening night, the Lakers saw their double-double machine from last season, Ramatoulaye Sy, put up 20 points and 12 rebounds. She already recorded a double-double by the end of the first half with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She has a chance to put up monster numbers this season if she continues to be aggressive. Her 10.5 points per game last season was second on the team only, .1 points per game behind Raiven Encarnacion. If Sy’s points per game can stay near 20, she will be a strong contender to go from third-team All-SUNYAC to first-team All-SUNYAC.
Oswego State shortened its rotation in the first game to seven players and that might continue for most of the season if it has the success like it did opening night. There is no such thing as moral victories, but the Lakers looked much improved from last season. The Lakers lost by only one point, even though expected sharpshooters, Taylor Torchia and Encarnacion, combined to shoot 3 of 23 from the field. That stat will not continue throughout the year, expect both to score a lot of 3-pointers this season.
Oswego State looks to have an advantage in the rebounding department this season with its tall starting forwards of Sy, Sydni Eure and Quincey Zimmerman. All of them are at or near 6-feet tall. The Lakers beat Hilbert College on the boards 50 rebounds to 36 rebounds Tuesday night. Sy and Eure had 11 offensive rebounds combined in the opening game, which lead to second-chance opportunities. Oswego State will look to take many trips to the free-throw line and get many more chances to score if that continues.
The Lakers open up with four more home games before they face their first road test on Dec. 6 against The College at Brockport. The next four games include two games in the Max Ziel Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Lakers will play their first game of that two-day event Friday against the University of Wisconsin-Superior. They then will play either Clarkson University or Morrisville State Saturday.
If Oswego State wants to take a step forward from last season and leave the 2018-19 season just a distant nightmare, it needs to take full advantage of small competitive edges it has. Those edges are rebounding, hustle and the ability to make 3-pointers. If the Lakers stay with this identity and turn around their fortunes at Max Ziel Gymnasium, there is a good chance the Lakers will win more games than last season.
The Oswegonian file photo from 2018
