Spring Break
The Daily OrangeColeman acclimates to scorer’s role
By Adam Kilgore
Posted: 3/4/03, 1:13 AM EST Section: Sports
With 2:06 left and SU clinging to a four-point lead Saturday against Pittsburgh, Coleman had scored only three points. But when McBride found her open in the corner, Coleman caught the pass and fired a 3 with no hesitation. The shot iced the game, as SU went on to win, 71-61.
"That was a huge shot," McBride said. "When Rochelle's open, we know she's going to shoot it, and I have absolutely no problem with it."
"She had missed like three in a row," Freeman said. "That's Rochelle. She's a confident person, because she works hard to be successful."
Now that Coleman has become a reliable shooter, she's building herself into a complete player. Typically, Coleman grabs 2.8 rebounds and dishes 1.8 assists to go with her 13.2 points. Against Pitt, though, Coleman distributed seven assists and snared seven rebounds, both career highs.
"She's expanding her game," Freeman said. "Early in the year, she wasn't really going to the boards."
"If she could average five, six rebounds a game, that's huge for us," McBride said. "She's starting to understand that."
Freeman said Coleman is by far the most improved Orangewoman, so much so that she nominated Coleman for the Big East's Most Improved Player award.
"You can just see the dedication that she applied to becoming a better player over this summer by the output that she was able to give our team," Freeman said. "To come from playing 10 minutes a ballgame to being a vital part of the offense for your team, she was one of the most pleasant surprises."
"That was a huge shot," McBride said. "When Rochelle's open, we know she's going to shoot it, and I have absolutely no problem with it."
"She had missed like three in a row," Freeman said. "That's Rochelle. She's a confident person, because she works hard to be successful."
Now that Coleman has become a reliable shooter, she's building herself into a complete player. Typically, Coleman grabs 2.8 rebounds and dishes 1.8 assists to go with her 13.2 points. Against Pitt, though, Coleman distributed seven assists and snared seven rebounds, both career highs.
"She's expanding her game," Freeman said. "Early in the year, she wasn't really going to the boards."
"If she could average five, six rebounds a game, that's huge for us," McBride said. "She's starting to understand that."
Freeman said Coleman is by far the most improved Orangewoman, so much so that she nominated Coleman for the Big East's Most Improved Player award.
"You can just see the dedication that she applied to becoming a better player over this summer by the output that she was able to give our team," Freeman said. "To come from playing 10 minutes a ballgame to being a vital part of the offense for your team, she was one of the most pleasant surprises."
