WNIT Championship

When we arrived back on campus from the MAC Tournament, I knew we had to digest the loss quickly and focus our energy on what was ahead. We had a great opportunity to redeem ourselves and still continue to play. We had a team meeting, and I announced that we would not accept the WNIT bid if I saw anyone feeling sick and sorry for themselves.  We had to regroup and do it in a hurry! Thanks to our extremely supportive administration going to bat for us, we were fortunate enough to be granted a first-round home game to begin WNIT action against Delaware.  As we began our preparation, we knew we had a tall task ahead with their star player Delle Donne.  At 6’5″ she was averaging 25 points per game and eight rebounds. She was also capable of playing the post or perimeter positions. What we also learned through watching film, is that their entire team was talented. Delle Donne proved to be as amazing as she was touted to be. We rotated four different players on her. With about four minutes to go we were down eight points and had our backs against the wall. What transpired during those last four minutes though proved to be the heart and soul of what helped us win the tournament. Everyone pulled together and made sure we controlled the boards, executed, and took our defensive intensity to another level. Winning that game really helped us put some of the pain of the MAC tourney behind us.

In our next two games against Auburn and Alabama, we watched different players step up to help us win. Beating those SEC teams at home was exciting to say the least, both teams presented different challenges. Auburn had great long-range shooters and great height inside, while Alabama was an up tempo, full-court pressing team. We found out in the first few minutes of the game just how fast and athletic they were as the ball looked like it belonged in a pinball machine. Fortunately, we settled down and became more confident as the game went on against their press. We also found that going with a smaller lineup in the absence of Lecretia Smith was causing matchup problems for other teams. Courtney Ingersoll and Haylie Linn were seeing time at the power forward position, something I doubt either of them thought was possible when they signed with UT!

Syracuse provided one of the toughest challenges of the tournament as they had size, speed and great shooters. The depth they had in the post position was incredible. We would get one player in foul trouble and another 6’3″ or 6’4″ player would be checking in the game. Much like their men’s team, their athleticism makes their zone tough to score against. You watch film and beating it looks fairly easy, but scoring against it in person is a different story. They covered ground in their zone better than any team I’ve seen and they adjusted quickly to new sets as they had seen almost every look throughout the season. Luckily, our post players came ready to play. Melissa Goodall and Yolanda Richardson had to step up as they were covering our shooters fairly well. Despite facing a height disadvantage, both Yo and Goody did a tremendous job! Up and under moves, turnaround jumpers and a great rebounding effort made Coach Mitmesser and I enjoy the second half!

As we embarked on the “Final Four” of the WNIT, we would face a tough Charlotte team. We would also learn that our game would be the first sellout in school history for women’s basketball and a MAC single game attendance record. It was exciting to see the crowds grow every game as we made this journey. We were very thankful to Dr. Jacobs for providing free tickets to all our UT student body as well! Talk about support! Some of the best news after every game in the huddle was our A.D. Mike O’Brien announcing to our team that our next game would be at Savage! What a thrill! We were able to jump out early versus the 49ers and not look back. I’m going to frame the box score from that game as that is the first time I have ever coached a team that only committed three turnovers for an entire game. It was fun to watch our team execute so well. The hard lesson we had learned in the MAC Tournament about focus was now paying off. Every UT player that checked into the game played their heart out! We now had earned the right to play for a championship! The best news to follow…it would once again be at Savage!

When we handed out the USC scouting report to our players, it was tough for them to decipher which position each player played if you just scanned the heights. They started at 6’1″ and went to 6’5″. They were indeed the tallest group we had played all year. The Lady Trojans were also extremely talented with most of their players leaving HS tabbed as an All-American. Everyone knows their coach, Michael Cooper. Yes, I watched him when I was younger, although I did cheer loudly for my fellow Indiana native Larry Bird in those battles! Coach Cooper brought an NBA approach to the game, isolating mismatches and attacking specific positions with their sets. It wasn’t hard to find those due to our lack of height, but what we lacked in size we made up for in heart and hustle. We recognized and masked our disadvantage by helping more in the half court and establishing an earlier pickup point in our full-court defense to best utilize our speed and depth. Naama Shafir was sensational. Her great knack for knowing when to change speed and change direction was inspiring to watch! Her 40-point performance in the WNIT Championship game on national television was a thing of beauty! In addition to Naama’s outstanding offensive production, I was also extremely proud of our team’s defensive effort and ability to tie with USC in rebounds for the game, considering their size. It was also exciting to see Haylie Linn knock down two threes in a crucial moment of the game to help the momentum shift back in our favor! It was amazing to see Savage Arena packed to the rafters, 7,301 strong, cheering loudly and willing us to win. The Toledo community definitely embraced our team and for that we are incredibly thankful! The WNIT championship run was something our team and staff will never forget! I can’t wait to sit down and watch some of the games on DVD this summer. Because you have so little time to prepare for each and every opponent in a short amount of time our staff was scrambling to make sure our team was prepared for every game. I am fortunate to have such a great staff. They nailed each and every scout!

This was a season to treasure and a season to build upon. Although our goal was to make the NCAA Tournament, the WNIT may have been the best thing that could ever have happened to our program at this time. We had a chance to play several post-season games and play those on our home floor! Our younger players received great experience playing against quality opponents and talented teams, something I know will pay dividends next year. We witnessed the emergence of Yolanda Richardson and Haylie Linn, two players who will play critical roles for us next season. Andola Dortch flourished and matured each and every game as well. Yes, we will miss Melissa Goodall and Jessica Williams, but what they can be very proud of as they graduate is that they raised the bar of expectation during their four years and established a winning culture once again for UT Women’s Basketball. They started their careers with a 14-win campaign and walk out the door with a 29-win season, two West Division titles, a MAC regular-season championship and a WNIT crown! Most importantly, they did it with class! Both were a joy to coach, worked extremely hard and led by example. Jay was usually assigned a tough defensive assignment and was counted on for various duties, but I will never forget her draining threes in closing minutes of big games. She never felt the pressure, but served more of a pressure release for us! I loved her willingness to step up when we needed her most! She finished the MAC season as the top three point percentage shooter in the conference. Melissa just got better every year. She worked tirelessly to improve her range, her strength, her ball handling and her post moves. She became a complete player and one of the best post players in the MAC. She made it tough for opponents to double or sag defensively because she was a threat to knock down a three.  There’s no doubt in my mind they will shine wherever their career paths may lead. They will be amazing ambassadors for our program and the University of Toledo as they embark on the next phase of their lives.

We can’t thank our UT fans enough for your loyal support all season long. It was fun to watch the fan base grow as the tournament progressed. I look forward to seeing those new faces in the stands next season. We have owned the MAC attendance record for 21-straight seasons and broken our own single-game attendance record in consecutive contests with the final record standing at 7,301 in the USC game. The words “thank you” don’t seem big enough, but please know we deeply appreciate your support! As we close the book on the 2010-11 season I am also extremely thankful for the support of our administration. You don’t see that everywhere in women’s basketball. We are very fortunate to have great leaders at UT like Dr. Jacobs, Larry Burns, Mike O’Brien, and Kelly Andrews. They don’t always get the credit they deserve, but none of what we accomplished this season would have been possible without their help!

This team was a joy to coach. They taught me what true teamwork and chemistry can produce. They didn’t get caught up in individual honors, but pulled together to win something many people thought was impossible, a WNIT championship. I am very honored to call myself their coach!

Have a great summer and enjoy!

Coach Cullop

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