By Mike Esse, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - As a reserve player a year ago, Ariel Edwards showed, at times, the player she could become as her Penn State career evolves. Five games into the 2012 season the junior forward is beginning to unveil what she will add as a starter to an already star studded starting lineup. 

Edwards posted a career-high 24 points on 11-for-16 shooting against the University of Detroit on Nov. 23. Not only was it a career day for Edwards, but it also lifted a weight off of her shoulders as she continues to learn her role as a starter.

"It is a weight off my shoulders," said Edwards. "I feel like I have accomplished something and I know that I can do it again. It is a benchmark to keep and work towards."

"Anytime you have the opportunity to get a career high is an exciting time in your career," she said.

Her performance against Detroit came as no surprise to teammate Maggie Lucas simply because of the dedication Edwards puts into perfecting her craft on the court.

"She has grown so much and her confidence has gotten a lot better," said Lucas. "It's not surprising when she puts out moments like that because we see it in the gym everyday."

In 2011, Edwards played 24.1 minutes per game and averaged seven points. She ended up being one of the top bench players for head coach Coquese Washington a season ago. This year, entering the starting lineup and getting starter's minutes has been a change to what Edwards has done during the first two years of her career.

By being able to post a 24-point night early in the season Edwards has gained confidence in her game as she still learns her role and confidence might be key for a player that can make a huge impact on both sides of the floor.

"You come off the bench for two years and get used to what that role is like and then you become a permanent starter and your role changes a little bit," said Washington. "She has and still is adjusting to that role and to have the game against Detroit where her shot is falling and things are going well for her is certainly a big confidence boost for her.

Edwards has spent time in the gym to work on how she fits on both sides of the floor with the other Penn State starters and her biggest area of focus has been her play on the defensive side of the ball.

Lucas called Edwards the most versatile player on the team and this versatility can turn defense into offense, not only for her but also for other lethal Penn State weapons like Lucas. The aggressiveness of Edwards and use of her long arms and active hands has improved her defense from a year ago and has opened opportunities for her to shine offensively, as she did against Detroit.

"My major role is to be a defensive player, a defensive stopper," said Edwards. "So when I start games, the first thing I think about is that my defense with turn into my offense. I try to get deflections or steals and help pressure the other team to make mistakes."

Creating steals and forcing turnovers is a big reason why Edwards is a part of the starting lineup for Washington and being able to get into transition off of a forced turnover with guards like Alex Bentley and Dara Taylor getting her the ball, the open shot has been there for Edwards.

By being able to see how hard the other four starters work, Lucas in particular, Edwards knows exactly what she needs to do to reach her peak talent in her junior season.

"Even just the fact that Maggie has been in here all the time kind of encourages you to be in the gym all the time, too," said Edwards. "Just seeing (Maggie) in the gym knowing that she is working hard reminds me that I need to continue working hard, too."

Edwards will look continue to build on her career performance against Detroit as Penn State returns home to the Bryce Jordan Center to face Farleigh Dickinson at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2.

--NITTANY LIONS--

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - When the game you are playing in is a part of a "challenge", you can expect that your opponent isn't going to be a walkover. The Lady Lions will hit the road for their third straight game on Thursday, Nov. 29 when they take their talents to South Beach a Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup with Miami (Fla.).

The Lady Lions are off to a 5-0 mark for the second time under head coach Coquese Washington and will be looking to start a season with a 6-0 record for just the sixth time in school history. The Blue and White have passed a pair of major road tests already this season, defeating No. 16/13 Texas A&M and winning a pair of games away from home last weekend in California.

Tale of the Tape
The floor inside the BankUnited Center might need some resurfacing after Thursday night's contest between these two high scoring offenses. Penn State enters the contest averaging 75 points a game, while Miami averages nearly 73 points in their five contests.

The similarities don't end there, as both teams have similar per-game averages in a multitude of statistical categories. Both teams limit the opposition to less than 60 points, force 22 or more turnovers, hand out over 13 assists and claim around 12 steals per contest.

The only major discrepancies on the stat sheet would be Miami's plus-seven rebounding margin to Penn State's plus-two and the Lady Lions .333 three-point field goal percentage to just .296 from behind the arch for the Hurricanes.

Happy Birthday to the Mayor
Talia East is kind of a big deal around campus and her head coach refers to her as the mayor of Penn State, but on Nov. 28 you can just call her birthday girl. It can get tiring being such a high-profile person on one of the nation's largest campuses, but just imagine the 'happy birthday' exclamations that she will receive around Happy Valley.

The charismatic post player has an infectious smile that complements her tenacious style of play and her head coach loves her attitude, both on and off the court.

"Her personality is outstanding," said Washington. "She is fun. She keeps everybody laughing and keeps the team in stitches. You love being able to coach those type of players. But she also brings some toughness. She is not afraid to give the hard foul and she is going to get in there and rough it up with the other team's (post players). She will get in there and get those tough rebounds, she will block shots and play good physical defense."

M-V-P, M-V-P
When head coach Coquese Washington told the media that the Lady Lions trip to the west coast was a business trip, junior Maggie Lucas dusted off her hard hat before heading west. The 5-foot-10 sharpshooter filled up the stat sheet to the tune of 25.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game in two games in The Golden State. Those numbers were good enough to help the Blue and White claim the tournament title with wins over Detroit and Cal State Northridge and earn her the distinction of most valuable player at the Radisson Chatsworth Thanksgiving Tournament.

Those numbers were also good enough to earn the junior Big Ten Player of the Week recognition for the first time this season and second in her career. Lucas also earned the award after posting a double-double in a victory over then No. 8/11 Ohio State last season.

Follow GoPSUsports.com's Greg Campbell on Twitter @SID_Greg

-- NITTANY LIONS --

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - 'Tis the season for giving thanks, and the Penn State Athletics would like to take an opportunity to say thank you to the loyal fans on Thanksgiving.

As you sit down with family and friends to eat your traditional meal while the Lions and Cowboys host their annual Thanksgiving day home games, Penn State Athletics would like to thank you, the fans, for the unrivaled support you give every team on campus.  Penn State's teams would not be the same without the greatest fans in college sports.

Make sure to get out and support the Penn State men's basketball (4:30 p.m.) and women's soccer teams (7 p.m.) on Friday and the football (3:30 p.m.) and women's volleyball (8 p.m.) teams on Saturday in home games during this holiday weekend.

As a token of their appreciation, several members of teams on campus would like to say thank you and Happy Thanksgiving for the support you give them throughout the athletic season.

By Mike Esse, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK Pa. - Coquese Washington has made it obvious that she will play anyone at any time to give her team the best chance to win. While it is clear who her starters will be for the majority of the 2012-2013 season, the talent and depth of her bench players has not gone unnoticed either.

"The great thing is that we have a number of people that can provide that spark," said Washington.

Tori Waldner, Talia East and Gizelle Studevant return to a group of bench players that also add transfer guard Dara Taylor and true freshman center Candice Agee. Each player replaces a key component of the Penn State offensive and defensive attacks, including Waldner and East who come in off the bench for starter Nikki Greene.

With the aggressive style of play that Greene brings to the table, fouls come with it, thus, Waldner and East have to prepare themselves to be ready to fill the void.

"For the minutes that we go in and take Nikki out, we don't let up," said Waldner. "We keep the pace going and there is no drop in intensity."

The Lady Lions are known for their fast, up-tempo style of play, which can produce situations similar to the Nov. 14 game in College Station against Texas A&M. Guard Alex Bentley found herself on the bench early in the first half with foul trouble and that is when the responsibility falls on Taylor to ensure the drop off in production is minimal without Bentley or guard Maggie Lucas on the floor.

Lucas sees having the bench depth that her team has as a luxury with the tough schedule featured in 2012-13.

"It is awesome," said Maggie Lucas. "It gives us a lot of confidence because throughout the course of the game there are going to be a lot of fouls, so knowing that you don't lose much (production) when you bring the bench in is a big confidence builder."

Confidence is visible with the starters as well as Taylor, who knows exactly what the bench needs to do and also knows that each of them are capable of stepping in for the starters.

"The five (starters) can't play the whole game, so when we come in there can't be a let down or a step off," said Taylor. "We have to come in right in stride and (show) the other team that it is not just a bench player that is coming in, it is a whole new five that is going to be tough for them to play against."

In Sunday's 75-34 win over Lafayette the Penn State bench combined for 28 points between Agee, Taylor, East, Studevent and Waldner and Taylor recorded six assists in just 23 minutes of play on a night. There were only two Lady Lions that reached double digits in points and the team was still able to tally 75 points, simply by having nine players score five or more against the Leopards.

The true freshman, Agee, had a career-high seven points and four rebounds in just her third collegiate game. The growth of Agee will be very important and something that Washington hopes will progress during the team's tough non-conference slate and before Big Ten play begins.

"As the game slows down and she gets more experience, Candice is going to be somebody who is going to come in and make an impact," said Washington. "She's just has so many talents, so many gifts on both ends of the floor that as the year goes on I think she's going to be having more and more of an impact for us when she's on the floor."

Washington and the Lady Lions look to continue to grow the depth of their bench as the team heads to Northridge, Calif. for the Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Tournament. Penn State will open play versus Detroit on Nov. 23 and play either host Cal-State Northridge or South Alabama on Nov. 24.

--NITTANY LIONS--

Pregame Reading:
- Penn State was a streak stopper last week when they defeated Texas A&M at Reed Arena in College Station. The Aggies had won 58 straight non-conference games on their home floor before the Blue and White claimed the five point victory. The Lady  Lions are looking to extend their own home winning streak today versus Lafayette, entering with an eight game non-conference winning streak.

- The Lady Lions are a perfect 20-0 against Patriot League teams, with the majority of those wins coming against the Leopards. Penn State is 19-0 versus Lafayette and claimed their other win against Bucknell in 2011-12.

- The Leopards are 1-2 on the season with a win over Loyola Chicago and losses to Big East foes Seton Hall and Villanova. Danielle Fiacco paces Lafayette, averaging 11.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game. Madeline Fahan is accounting for 8.3 points per outing for the Leopards.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - It's the most wonderful time of the year for fans of college athletic programs; the early signing period. A time when players, coaches and fans, alike, huddle around the fax machine with their morning coffee and wait for those signed forms to come rolling in. It's kind of like Christmas, except without all the wrapping paper and mistletoe.

It's a joyous time for many, because some of the best players in the country have just committed to playing for their respective institutions of high learning, but every coach in the country hope that their highly-touted signees will come in and produce quickly. However, we all know it can take time for some players to adjust to the speed and size of the college game.

Lady Lions head coach Coquese Washington may have been over 1,000 miles away from the 1980's technology that gets dusted off twice a year, but the sixth year head coach was sitting on a top-ten recruiting class and just had to wait for those grainy, signed documents to make their way into the hand of the Penn State compliance office.

"What most excites me about this group is their upside," said Washington. "While individually each one comes in with strong skills and a track record of success...The sky is the limit for this class and they have high expectations for themselves. It is going to be a treat for Lady Lion fans to watch their growth and impact on the program during their time at Penn State."

The seven players that inked their commitment to Penn State will enter with some high expectations, as they are replacing five battle-tested veterans of this year's team.

Growth will come with on-court experience and let's remember that, but impact will be measured against the players they are replacing on the court. The talent is on each of their résumés and caught the eyes of numerous college programs, but they are headed to Penn State for a reason. Those reasons are probably the same ones that many of our current student-athletes, alumni, coaches and staff members have; because Penn State is great place to be.

The splendidness that is Penn State has been eloquently spoken by many, but can be summed by a by those who have claimed that, 'Penn State is a special place because of its special people.'

That is one of the truest statements you can make about Penn State, a statement that coach Washington has been able to express to recruits and their families since arriving in Happy Valley. Her second recruiting class included Alex Bentley, Nikki Green, Gizelle Studevent and Marisa Wolfe, while her third class brought Maggie Lucas, Ariel Edwards and Boston College-transfer Mia Nickson to campus.

The talent level has continued to increase in her sixth year and this class includes two athletic point guards and five post players that all stand 6-foot-1 or taller. There is no telling who the top college player will be, but their high school numbers jump off of the page - printed or web-based - and make you want to venture to your local high school gymnasium and see if you can put up those numbers in a pickup game. Just be sure to stretch out first and stay hydrated, because the numbers are impressive.

Unlike the professional game, where you can trade for Steve Nash, you have to start anew nearly every four years in college athletics. That's just what a pair of 5-foot-6 point guards will do next season, step up and try to play as hard as Alex Bentley.

Bentley, who has been a staple in PSU's up-tempo style, has four more months of wearing the blue and white jersey of the Lady Lions, but NCAA rules won't allow her to sign a new contract with the team at years end. Enter Lindsey Spann (Laurel, Md.) and KeKe Sevillian (Goodrich, Mich.). One of them - Spann - is said to be a feisty defender, while the other - Sevillian - was summed up in one word - fast.

Spann was the No. 22 ranked player in the country according to Collegiate Girls Basketball Report and was an invitee to the USA Basketball U16 Trials in 2011. She helped Good Counsel High School to an undefeated 18-0 mark in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, becoming the first team in conference history to post an undefeated record, and averaged 15 points per game. Sevillian has garnered back-to-back all-state laurels and guided Goodrich High School to the first state championship in school history. She is closing in on the 1000-point mark for her career and posted a school record 107 steals last season.

Both guards averaged four or more assists per game last season and when you are passing the ball to a shooter like Maggie Lucas, those numbers are bound to go up.

Replacing players line Greene, Nickson and Wolfe will not be done overnight, so Washington had to ask herself when hitting the recruiting trail over the last year, 'How am I going to replace 162 starts in the frontcourt?' The answer to that question was to sign five post players that stand 6-foot-1 or taller and averaged over eight rebounds per game last year.

An easy task, right? Sure, but Washington set out and found the five players that fit the height requirement and then made sure that all five of them were ranked among the top-100 players in the country. Infiniti Alston (Baltimore, Md.), Jenny DeGraaf (Springboro, Ohio), Alex Harris (Lorain, Ohio), Kaliyah Mitchel (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Peyton Whitted (Suwanee, Ga.) will help the Lady Lions pack the paint - and hopefully the box score - for the next four years.

The trio of DeGraaf, Mitchell and Whitted will fill the swing roles on the team and have the ability to play in the paint of on the perimeter. The 87^th ranked recruit by CGBR, DeGraaf has averaged 15 points, six rebounds and led the Greater Western Ohio Conference with a .548 shooting percentage last season to earn all-state honors An honorable mention all-state selection last year, Mitchell is a versatile player that gives the Lady Lions more than just points and rebounds - averaging four assists and three steals a game last year - which was why she is ranked the 54th best player in the country. Whitted was pegged as the 71st best player in the nation and averaged 14 points and ten boards in the playoffs last season.

Both of the true post players were ranked among the top-50 players in the country by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report with Alston and Harris sitting 48th and 49th, respectively. Alston is a 6-foot-5 post with quick feet and good hands, leading her to a 14 point, 11 rebound average last season for Digital Harbor High School. Harris has twice earned honorable mention all-state accolades and has given Southview High School 12 points and 12 rebounds night in and night out, while adding five blocked shots a game in 2011-12.

Although no one can replace what the graduating seniors have meant to Penn State, bringing in seven newcomers and losing five veterans gives you two more players than you previously had. That's always a plus in college basketball.

Oh and the fax machine has taken its spot back on the dusty shelf until it is called upon next November. But Washington and her staff - along with the seven players who weren't born when the equipment was in its heyday - really gave it a workout this year.

Follow GoPSUsports.com's Greg Campbell on Twitter @SID_Greg

-- NITTANY LIONS --

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Lady Lions got all they could handle on Sunday against Howard in their season opener on Sunday, but an even tougher test will come on Wednesday evening at No. 16/13 Texas A&M. Penn State will travel to College Station, Texas for an early-season top-25 clash.

The Lady Lions (1-0) claimed a 72-61 victory over Howard to open the season last Sunday (Nov. 11) in the BJC. The Aggies (0-1) hit the road for their first game of the season, falling, 47-45, at Louisville in a tightly contested game.

Take look at the Lady Lions match up versus Texas A&M with some tidbits on both teams, courtesy of GoPSUsports.com, and watch senior Nikki Greene's video about playing near her hometown of Diboll, Texas.



Heading to Aggie Land
Penn State will make the trip to Reed Arena for the first time in program history and look to make an early statement against a good team. The Aggies will make the return trip to Happy Valley in 2013-14 and the home-and-home series gives each team's schedule a major upgrade.

Texas A&M is known for its passionate fan base and that will be something that the Blue and White will need to overcome, along with the Aggies 148-62 record inside Reed Arena since it opened in 1998. Last season, A&M boasted a 14-2 mark at home - going a perfect 7-0 in the non-conference slate - and hasn't lost a home non-conference game since Dec. 30, 2003 when they dropped a 46-40 decision to Houston. It has been 58 straight home non-conference wins for the Aggies.

Fast Paced vs. Slow Down
It's going to be a contrast in styles when the Lady Lions and Aggies meet on the court Wednesday. Penn State likes to push the ball, get out and run in transition and force the other team to play at their pace, while Texas A&M would like to slow things down and run out of the half court set.

Case in point, the Lady Lions racked up 72 points in their seasons opener against Howard, while the Aggies put up just 45 points in their first game at Louisville.

One main reason for the scoring discrepancy is that A&M likes to run their offense through their post players, centers Karla Gilbert and Kelsey Bone and forward Kristi Bellock. Bone tallied a team-high 14 points in the season opener versus the Cardinals, while Bellock and Gilbert each netted seven. It is a guard oriented offense for the Lions, with shooting guard Maggie Lucas pouring in a team-best 25 points and point guard Alex Bentley adding 14 points in the season opening win over the Bison.

It's the age-old question, the tortoise vs. hare, the transition game or the set offense.

First Game Jitters
Head coach Coquese Washington dismissed the woes that both her squad and Texas A&M had in their opening games.

"First games don't mean much," Washington quipped. "I think our girls will be ready to play and I know they will be ready to play. Gary (Blair) is a hall of fame coach and he'll have them focused. We had a good practice on Sunday and we'll be ready to play, as well."

Follow GoPSUsports.com's Greg Campbell on Twitter @SID_Greg

-- NITTANY LIONS --

By Mike Esse, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Preseason All-Big Ten guards Maggie Lucas and Alex Bentley are well known for their flashy offensive style of play, but on Sunday they showed how skilled they are on the defensive end in Penn State's, 72-61, win over Howard.

With just under five minutes to play, Penn State (1-0) found themselves down, 31-25, and needed something to kick-start their offense that had been sluggish in the first 15 minutes of play against the Bison (0-2).

It wasn't a Lucas three pointer or a flashy scoring play by Bentley, it was their active hands defensively that sparked the Lady Lions after a media timeout at the 3:49 mark.
"We wanted to get up and pressure, and try to create some turnovers, and get some easy baskets in transition," said head coach Coquese Washington about what was discussed in the timeout. "I think we finished the half with maybe nine or 10 stops in a row. That kind of gave us a spark going into the half."

After the timeout, Lucas and Bentley combined for five straight steals on five straight Lady Bison possessions, which resulted in a 13-0 run for Penn State. The pressure brought by Washington's squad prevented Howard from getting the ball across half court a single time during their last five possessions of the first half.

"Anytime you can get some turnovers, it gives you a chance to go out there in transition," said Washington. "We're pretty good when we can transition. I think that was a big confidence boost for us. It gave us some breathing room, and allowed us to start the second half with a little bit more confidence."

At the conclusion of the first half, Lucas and Bentley had a combined nine steals and center Nikki Greene added one, which produced 14 of the team's 39 first half points. Once the pressure was put on Howard, Penn State opened their offense in transition and quieted any hope of a Howard upset.

"I think we just picked up a lot harder on their ball handlers and we were able to pick up a few steals and that gave us some good momentum and were just happy we were able to get that done," said Lucas.

Prior to the Penn State run, Howard was sticking with the eighth ranked team in the country, but the change in defensive pressure put on Howard by Washington allowed the momentum to shift in favor of the Lady Lions.

"I think those last couple minutes of the first half hurt us and gave Penn State the momentum," said Howard head coach Nicki Geckeler.

That momentum carried over into the second half for Penn State, where they saw their lead swell to as many as 19 points with Lucas and Bentley leading the way. Mia Nickson, Greene and Dara Taylor all played well in the second half to help secure their first win of the 2012 season.

Washington played with a variety of players throughout the game, but her most notable group she put on the floor was when she featured four guards on the court at the same time.

"When we play with four guards we're definitely faster and more athletic defensively," said Washington. "We can do more things defensively in terms of matchups and switching. Playing four guards really gives us an advantage at times."

Offensively, Lucas and Bentley combined for 39 points and 10 steals. Nickson added 14 points and 10 rebounds while recording her 11^th career double-double.

"I think I just took advantage of my opportunities," said Nickson. "When I got the ball I tried to make a positive play, whether it was passing or trying to finish lay-ups or things of that nature."

The Lady Lions will travel to College Station, Texas on Wednesday to face No. 15/12 Texas A&M before returning home against Lafayette on Sunday Nov. 18.

--NITTANY LIONS--

                                      
Pregame Reading:
- Penn State is meeting the Bison for the first time since the 1989 season and have played Howard just twice in program history. The Lady Lions are 2-0 all-time against Howard winning 82-44 at home on Dec. 2, 1980 and claiming a 107-69 neutral site win on Nov. 26, 1989. The Lady Lions are a perfect 6-0 all-time against MEAC schools.

- Senior guard Alex Bentley opens her senior season ranked among the Top 15 in the Penn State record books in a host of categories. The Indianapolis native enters her final year in the blue and white 15th in scoring (1,335), 10th in assists (455), 12th in steals (216) and 10th in field goals attempted (1,245).

- The Lady Lions have won 13 of their 16 home openers since playing their first full season in the Bryce Jordan Center in 1996-97. Penn State is riding a string of six straight home opening wins, with their last loss coming at the hands of No. 1 Duke on Nov. 18, 2005, and will play their tenth season opening game at home since beginning the 1996-97 slate with a victory over Maryland at the BJC.

- Howard swept the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason awards, taking the top spot in the preseason coaches poll and watching as Saadia Doyle - the 2011-12 MEAC Player of the Year - was selected to repeat that honor as the preseason choice for the award. The Bison opened the season on Friday at St. Francis (Pa.), falling 69-61 to the Red Flash. Doyle led the squad in points and rebounds with 21 and seven, respectively, as senior Cheyenne Curly-Payne distributed seven assists.

By Mike Esse, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Her coach called her the "mayor" of Penn State. She worries about being late to practice because she makes it a point to stop and talk to everyone she sees while walking through campus. Talia East is not only a very skilled basketball player on the pre-season Big Ten favorite Penn State Lady Lions, but she also knows everyone, literally.

"Talia is the mayor of Penn State," said head coach Coquese Washington. "If you go with her 10 minutes across campus, she knows everybody. That is not an exaggeration."

Her personality is infectious. As soon as she walks in a room, her presence is felt and it is almost certain that there will never be a dull moment with the Philadelphia native around.

"Any time you get in a room with her you are going to laugh," said true freshman Candice Agee. "There is no way you aren't going to laugh. You could be a grouch and you are still going to laugh."

Being a broadcast journalism major, talking is part of her every day life. Communication defines how social she is with whomever she meets and now, as a junior, she has grown used to the college lifestyle, making her charm come naturally.

Why does East go to such lengths to be social and talkative with those around her? It is simple. The more social she is off the court, the more social she becomes on the court.

"It is definitely important to be social and to get to know your teammates," said East. "That relationship you build with your teammates off the court is going to translate on the court."

East plays an important role as one of the numerous skilled players Washington can bring off the bench in 2012. Standing at 6-3, she can dominate inside the paint, as well as incorporating intensity on the defensive side of the ball.

"She brings some toughness," said Washington. "She is not afraid to give that hard foul and she is going to get in there and rough it up with other teams."

In 2011-12, East was third on the team in rebounds, averaging 5.2 per game and was second on the team in blocks by tallying 34 on the year.

East knows her role on the court is simple. Play defense and rebound. That role as expanded over the years with continuous practice in the paint and getting easy put backs and has been a transition she has seen improve drastically since her first year on campus.

"I focus on getting rebounds, defense and finishing when I'm open," said East. "We do a lot of rebound drills during practice and work on securing the ball and going back up strong.

"It has definitely gotten a lot easier," said East. "I get yelled at a little less so I'll take it."

As East has matured on and off the court, she has transitioned into a leadership role, especially this year with Agee, a McDonald's High School All-American from a year ago. Agee called East an older version of herself, something East appreciates.

"That's my girl," said East. "I love Candice. She is easy to talk to and definitely willing to listen and to learn."

Agee and East have bonded over the past few months together, but Agee knows that as long as East is around, the mayor is in town.

"If we walked past five people on campus, three people would know her. Seriously," Agee said.

East and the Lady Lions open their 2012 campaign at home at the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday at 2 p.m. against Howard.