Nashville Standard

Despite coming into the break with a 5-4 record, 3-1 at home, the Lady Bulldogs are more poised than ever to take the conference championship home. While playing numerous games out of the division, the Lady Bulldogs have shown they can still compete with anybody in the country. With their scrappy play on defense and high motor, the team looks much more complete than they have in previous years. 

First-year coach and former Memphis basketball standout Victoria Crawford says, "for us to compete well in the GCAC and the national NAIA tournament, we need to do a better job of taking care of each position. Defense is another area in that we need to see improvement. Our defensive intensity drives our offensive output. Those moments where we play hard aggressive defense gives us energy and momentum when we transition over to offense." Senior center Maya Buckhanon (SR/Talladega, AL) stated, "some of the team expectations are to improve the team ranking out of the conference, win the conference championship, and make a run at the national championship."

During her first semester at Fisk, Buckhanon averaged 18ppg and 14rpg while already winning player of the week twice. Some of her personal expectations were to be selected for 1st team all-conference, win Newcomer of the Year, and become the MVP of the GCAC. "Some of my strengths would be being an energy booster, being a dominant presence, and controlling the boards off the glass," Buckhanon said. 

Senior guard Mya Allen (SR/Kansas City, KS,) said, "I would say this team came in with a winning mindset and ready to buy in. We are also a far more experienced team this year. We've seen what it takes to win, and the team is ready to make those improvements. The main area we've improved this year is on the defensive side. This year, we are a defensive-minded team and use that to fuel our offense." Allen added, "It takes team chemistry to win a conference championship. The talent and the will to win is all there, but that means nothing if everybody isn't on the same page in terms of working together to achieve a common goal." Crawford stated, "our most significant strength is that this group of young ladies want to win. 

We are in the process of continuing to change the culture, starting with buying into the vision of our staff. Also, having a post presence like Maya Buckhanon on your team doesn't hurt. She changes our opponent's defensive scheme, which opens up the perimeter for our guards." 

When asked what she expects from her team, Crawford added, "My expectation is for us to compete hard and win every game." Being a team with a brand new coaching staff and only four returning players, it can seem challenging to reach specific goals. Crawford stated, "The biggest challenge whenever you enter a new program is learning to trust the process. Since I was hired in June, I did not have the luxury of meeting with our young ladies and getting to know them immediately, impacting our team since we had to hit the ground running in August. Once we all understood my expectations and what I required, we started to move forward. It was not easy to get there, and we still have a ways to go. While the team is relatively new, they play as if they have been playing together for years. With each game played, the players understand more the expectations of their coaching staff, and the coaching staff understands the ability of their players. 

The Lady Bulldogs welcome the support from the University, fanbase, and alums as they run for the conference championship for the first time in recent history. As the break ends, the Lady Bulldogs will jump into conference play; Oakwood University will be their first game back on Sunday, January 8th. The team seems focused on one goal this season; Winning!!

Original source can be found here