Basketball season ended two weeks ago and Ann Walker, interim women’s head coach, and Gary Tuell, men’s head coach, discussed each team’s overall performance.
The women’s team finished the season with 14 wins and 12 losses before attending the Sunshine State Conference on March 2. They lost to Florida Technical University, 52-64, during the first round of the tournament.
“We’ve beaten some very good teams,” said Walker.
She attributed the team’s losses to internal mistakes.
“We’re not getting beat by teams, we’re beating ourselves,” she said.
The men’s team finished their season with 12 wins and 14 losses. They also lost to Florida Southern College, 69-79, during the first round at the SCC tournament on March 2.
Tuell said, “We’ve lost some close games that I thought we should have won and that’s been disappointing. The thing that’s been difficult as in every year, is the injuries. We limp into the post season every year because of injuries.”
However, both coaches said they have seen their players improve over the season.
Walker said, “I really feel as though they’ve become overall smarter basketball players. They have a better knowledge of the game.”
Tuell commended the men’s team. “We got a great group of guys. They do the right things on and off the floor,” he said.
As for next season, Tuell said the men’s team will be impacted by the loss of five seniors. He said recruitment has already begun.
“I hope we can get a little more athletic and a little bigger.We’d like to recruit a couple bigger guards to replace them,” he said.
Five players will also graduate from the women’s team. However, recruitment has not begun because the athletic department is focused on finding a women’s head coach.
Walker said the position should be filled by early April.
