Basketball season has officially begun for the Wildcat women’s team, and it started with a 57-point win over the University of the Southwest on Monday night. 

In a game highlighted by good shooting and ball distribution, Head Coach Julie Goodenough said she was especially proud of the defensive effort given by her team. 

“The deflections turned into a lot of turnovers,” Goodenough said. “We were able to convert the turnovers into points down at the other end. So proud of just that defensive effort, trying to put pressure on the ball.”

Meredith Mayes, sophomore center from Bixby, Oklahoma, was a key contributor to this strong defense, adding five steals and two blocks to the team’s totals. 

Mayes said she has focused on improving her defense in the offseason and becoming more assertive in the in-game decisions she makes. 

“My confidence on the court is what has improved the most,” Mayes said. “To not second guess myself if I’m trying to read a steal.”

Goodenough said the team’s on-ball defense needs to improve for the next game, as good as the off-ball defense was against USW. 

“I feel like we got beat off drives quite a bit,” she said. “We’ve got to get our chest up on the ball.”

Monday’s game was the first of the season for the team and was the first test of the team’s chemistry, one that was highly anticipated with all the new faces that joined the team in the offseason. 

As one of just five returning players, Mayes has found herself in a team leadership role. This role is new to the sophomore but one Mayes is well-suited for. 

“I was in a great position last year to learn about leadership on the court,” she said. “It’s important for me to be a personable player for my teammates to go to and just be reliable on the court.”

Goodenough said the team will have to continue to improve its defense throughout the season, especially because most teams will have bigger players than USW. 

“The majority of schools we play will be our size or bigger,” Goodenough said. “So we’ve got to be more physical and really work for rebounds every time a shot goes up.”

The Wildcats will travel to Florida International University for their next game at 8 p.m. on Friday and will host Stephen F. Austin University on Tuesday at 11 a.m. for the Field Trip Day for the local elementary schools.