Crimson and Gold Connection; Amanda David

Welcome to Crimson and Gold Connection, keeping you connected with the people and current events at Pittsburgh State University. This is the Crimson and Gold Connection covering the people, events, and this week. Women's Basketball here at Pitt State University, I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro. The women's team in Pittsburgh State has a new head coach this season for the first time in a dozen seasons. As Amanda David takes over for Lane Lorde who left Pittsburgh State in the off-susant. Coach Lorde had incredible success at Pitt State because of his coaching and that of his assistants, like Amanda David, who worked under Lane the entire time he was at Pitt State. Coach David, welcome to the Crimson and Gold Connection. Thank you Fred, appreciate being here. So far the team has played four games, two of the games were exhibitions, the squad is one and one on the season technically. You played a very tough Minnesota State Morehead team, you lost that game, 66-55 this past Saturday.

What are some of the positives that you've seen from this team so far, this early season, and what are some of the things that you want the team to work on before the Pitt State Classic this weekend? Well some positives is that when we share the basketball we really have distributed scoring and when we really find the best shot, those are the ones we're making when it's open and I think that goes for any team. And then you know some things we need to work on, number one is rebounding. Because when you don't take great shots, your teammates aren't expecting you to shoot. And so then they're not ready to, they're more spotting up or looking for the next offensive play instead of crashing for you to have your back. And so we've talked a lot about that, so that should hopefully help our rebounding. We really addressed that yesterday. It's not one of those things that you can just snap your fingers and it's done. It's kind of a build a good habit type of thing. And so that's really what we've talked a lot about is just finding the best shot, build good habits in every instance, offense, defense, rebounding, all of those things. Yeah, you have one returning star this season. That is correct. And so it's a pretty new team getting to know each other playing on the courts and understanding where each other is going to be when they're going to be there.

Absolutely. And also a 7-EwCommerce just understanding the offense period. That has been also a thing we've talked about, it's just, we have to, we have to be on the same page. It's like any team defensively, offensively. And you know, I think we really were the last three quarters of the, well actually all four quarters of the Northern State game. I really felt like we were on the same page. We made adjustments immediately and I was like, wow, this team is smart and they are smart. I think day two, it was just, we got hit with a little bit of adversity and we have players that are the best player that's been on their high school team. Seven of them are thrown into that and so when they go in, they feel like they can make a difference and they can. But it's still finding that best shot that you know that team or player A, B, C, D are just as good as you are. Let's find the next best shot. Not the good one, but the great one the best one. And so I think as we continue, we talked about that yesterday, just really run the offense until you can find that one that is open. And if it gets to six seconds left, ten seconds left in the shot clock, then that's when you can just go be a player.

And if we get a tough shot up then, then I understand that. But people with eight seconds left in the shot clock, they know you're going to pull it. And so we were better prepared to go rebound and crash and try to get an extra possession there. And then we used preaching patience. Yes. In other words. Yes, very much. Very much patience. And like I said, we made that adjustment in the Northern State team, so I know that they can do it. I think day two, we just got under a little bit of adversity and we were grinding it out. And we, the day before, we didn't do that. We went on a run. It was not over, but we had 12-point lead, whatever, and then they felt more comfortable finding that next shot. And then I think just the pressure day two, everybody wanted to do it themselves. And we're not that type of team. That's not our identity. We don't have selfish kids, they're not done it on purpose thinking, you know, I'm the player, they don't have egos. It was just a lapse in judgment, I think, and I think we'll continue to work on that. And it was miserable for them to set and watch themselves on film. And so they know they're accountable. And that's what I love about them is we've got kids that really understand the process. They really want to be held accountable. Sometimes I don't like to be the bad guy, but that's what you got to do to get them to

understand. And we're all in it together, so I think we'll find a way. Speaking about how tough this conference can be, I mean, it's extra tough when Central Missouri is the number one ranked team in the NCAA Women's Division II conference right now. For Hay State, it's also ranked 12th. This is a really extremely competitive division when the top team is in your conference. Right now, Pid State is on ranked after 21 and six record last season, taking a wider look at the conference as a whole. How do you see the shaping up? I think there's some other teams that are very similar to us. There are, I think, three other new coaches in the league, a couple other coaches that are only in their second, third year. So the leagues changed a little bit. And not competitively, it's still a great league, and the coaches are still great. But just there's a few different things going on with just the style of play that maybe a team has had in the past, and what they are now, like in Korea, will be all-zone right now. So things like that that will shape up differently, but it'll still be the same competitive level.

And that's where, you know, Northern, they had a lot of new players. And so I don't think they were as gritty as Moorhead, and just because Moorhead turned a lot of experience that have probably been through the fires of just people that kind of like smack in the mouth and that kind of stuff. And so it was really good for us to get that, I hate to lose. But I really think we went through the film with fine tooth comb, and our girls are going to respond and get better. And so when that happens, you feel like, and Moorhead's going to do great in their league. So they'll win a lot of games, so it's not necessarily a terrible loss. But I think that will respond well. But the league, that's what I told the girls yesterday, I said, you haven't seen nasty yet until you get into our league when people are really eyeing us, and we've had so much success in the past, that these seven don't, these newcomers don't understand that people are out with a vengeance for Pittsburgh State, and because of our tradition, and they're ready to jump on weakness and those kind of things. So we'll continue to talk about that, and hopefully not have to take too many bruises along the way. I know that there's some teams out there saying, you know, now that Coach Lord has moved on.

Yes. We're going to get back to Pittsburgh State from then, we'll open us all these seasons. Exactly. You know what, you've been an assistant coach for a long time, and you know, with that in mind, now that Coach Lord has left, who do you turn for advice? We are on speed with each other, I believe, a lot of people have asked me, have you talked to them? I'm like, heck yes, I've talked like, you know, and we talk all the time. I mean, we were work married for 11 years. So we had a great relationship. We were different people, but we had that complimentary style. The competitiveness. Yeah. That's what I see, a real burn. Yeah, exactly. And I just love the coaching, and the X's and O's part, and he's great with relationships and X's and O's, and the offensive part of it, and I had the defensive part, and we just kind of eventually evolved into really complimenting each other. Pittsburgh State Women's Head Basketball Coach Amanda David. The grillers will be in action this weekend when they host the Pitt State Classic. They play Friday morning at 11 a.m., and Saturday afternoon at 1. To learn more about the Women's Basketball Team and Pitt State, visit pitstakegrillas.com. I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro, and you've been listening to The Crimson and Gold Connection,

a production of KRPS. Join us for Crimson and Gold Connection Wednesdays at 8.50 and Fridays at 350.