I spoke to women’s basketball coach Carol Simon on the phone earlier this evening. Here are parts of our conversation (with some context that I added) regarding the Judges’ season up until now and their upcoming conference games:
Me: Coming off of what has probably been your team’s biggest weekend of the season up until this point, with back-to-back wins against University Athletic Association foes University of Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis, in what ways would you say your team has progressed from back in November (when the women posted a 2-2 start)?
Coach Simon: I think we’re just getting better. At the beginning, we were playing with some young kids. We had a pretty tough opening the first couple weeks with some very good teams, so I think that really prepared us for conference as well. I just think, the WashU game, especially the second half, really showed when we really put everything together, how good this team can be. But now it’s just a matter of being able to put 40 minutes together.
Me: The next two weekends the Judges play Case Western Reserve University and Emory University, first on the road and then at home. Last season, you went 2-0 against both teams. You think the women can do it again, and if so, what will it take?
CS: We hope so, but you know, it’s a different year, different people, different personnel. Both Case and Emory I think are improved teams from last year. Case has back all their players, so they’re more mature, [there's a] new coach, which, you know, is going to be a different look for us a little bit, and they’re good. They’re a very strong team on the road, and it’s always difficult [to play them]. Same at Emory — it’s a difficult place to play at, and again, they have a lot of good players. She lets a lot of players play, so they [use] some fresh legs, and especially on the road, when you’re going against a home team, that’s definitely an advantage for them. It’s going to be tough. Every game right now is tough because everybody’s still striving for tournament, and everybody’s looking to move up in the UAA.
Me: As of Jan. 27, Brandeis led the UAA in scoring defense, giving up an average of just 51.7 points per game. The Judges also led the conference in field goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense. What is it about your defense that you think distinguishes it from that of the other UAA teams?
CS: Honestly, I don’t know what distinguishes it from [other teams]. I think the other teams are all good teams. It’s just something that we work hard on in practice and hopefully that comes to fruition in games. But all the other UAA teams are all very good teams, defensively as well.
Me: After this weekend’s doubleheader, you guys play five out of the last seven games at home. How if in any way do you think this will work to your team’s advantage?
CS: You hope it’s to your advantage because you’re on your home court. Traveling in the UAA is very difficult. Being on the road, the last three out of four weekends, is tiresome. It’ll be nice just to be able to be home for at least two weekends in a row and kind of have some normalcy in our lives. You just hope that you can take care of business at home.
Me: Speaking of that traveling, what’s your favorite thing to do on the plane rides to/from UAA games?
CS: My personal favorite thing? … Is when I get to catch up on my sleep. That’s my favorite thing. When I’m on the plane ride, I catch up on my sleep.
** Just a reminder as to this weekend’s schedule:
Friday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m.: Brandeis at Case Western Reserve University
Sunday, Feb. 3, 2 p.m.: Brandeis at Emory University
