MU’s Riddle working on her moves

It’s time to dance. At least is it for the post players on the Missouri women’s basketball team.

They aren’t dancing in the street, though. Instead, they’re dancing under the basket. They aren’t dancing for fun, either. Dancing in the post refers to a gritty task of low-post defending, where players dance around the opponent so she can’t get open for a pass.

Despite finishing fourth in the Big 12 Conference with an NCAA Tournament bid last year, the Tigers’ defense was average. It ranked sixth in the conference in scoring defense, ninth in rebounding and seventh in blocked shots. Christelle N’Garsanet, last year’s leading rebounder and blocker, was a senior.

Missouri coach Cindy Stein said the situation is not as dismal as it looks. She said the team has been focusing on defense in the first two weeks of practice, specifically “dancing in the post,” and is far better defensively than offensively right now.

Senior EeTisha Riddle is the team’s proven post player. Riddle was an All-Big 12 defensive team player last season and started all 31 games.

“She is such a great defensive player. She is one of the best in the conference,” Stein said. “She can shoot the three... She can post up and has a variety of moves. She is tough to guard because she is left handed, so she presents a lot of problems for people.”

Riddle was a forward last year, but Stein said Riddle is likely to play center this season. Riddle said she won’t have a problem making the move because she played the position as a freshman.

“I’m used to it,” Riddle said. “It’s not that big of a jump.”

Behind Riddle, there are a few more questions. Stein said senior Tamika Jackson, senior Kacey McFarland and freshman Jessra Johnson would be playing in the post with Riddle, but she didn’t know who would be starting.

Jackson (16 games) and McFarland (eight games) didn’t get significant playing time last season, and this is Johnson’s first season.

Jackson, McFarland and Riddle practiced with N’Garsanet this summer. Although they don’t have much experience at center, they learned that they each have their own strengths.

“I think I will do big things for the team this year,” Jackson said. “I think we will all do big things for the team this year.”

Stein said the center position, which was once an uncertainty for the TIgers, could become a strength because of the versatility of the players she can use there.

“We can put in speed, we can put in power, it’s nice because we have a variety of things,” Stein said. “We can put in both.”

Riddle said she is a finesse player, able to step out and shoot 3-pointers and to guard multiple positions. Riddle described Jackson as a pure center, strong down low and aggressive, and she said McFarland is more versatile, but is also a banging type player. Johnson, who averaged 24.1 points and 14.2 rebounds per game as a senior at Fayette High School, appears to be an all-around player.

The team has been focusing on defense up to this point, but the change in low-post personnel is also going to result in a change of style. Instead of relying on running set plays, the team is hoping the defense can create additional offense.

“When we are playing defense, we have to create the turnovers so we can get our break on,” Riddle said. “Defense is going to be our bread and butter.”

So far, Jackson said there hasn’t been any animosity or rivalry among the players vying for the post positions. It might be more of an issue if there was more uncertainty, she said, but the players are learning their roles and having fun together.

“We have a good time,” Jackson said. “I think that is really important, that you have a good time. When you don’t, it just makes everything kind of go down.”