From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

MIAMI, Okla. — Experience and size appear strengths of the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College women’s basketball team this season.

Coach Jim Rowland starts finding out the positives and negatives Monday night as the Lady Norse play host to Crowder.

The 6 p.m. contest will find the Lady Norse in their renovated NEO Fieldhouse.

The Lady Norse just recently returned to practicing in the NEO Fieldhouse after a flood on July 4, 2007, closed the facility and forced the shift of games to the Student Activity Center.

“We’ve had some good practice sessions on the new court,” Rowland said. “It feels good to be back home.

“Not only are we getting to play in the Fieldhouse in our opener but the game is against one of our old rivals in Crowder College,” Rowland said. “Playing in the NEO Fieldhouse will be a new experience for all 13 players, too.”

Rowland, 70-25 in three seasons at NEO, has four starters from a 23-8 edition that finished third in the Eastern Division of the Bi-State Athletic Conference with a 5-3 record. NEO lost 98-80 to Arkansas-Fort Smith in a semifinal of the Region II Tournament at Shawnee.

“Our strength entering the season is the experience we have in the post positions,” Rowland said. “We have 6-foot and 5-10 sophomores returning with a 6-5 freshman from Serbia and two other 6-0 freshmen.”

Post veterans are 5-10 Nolisha Markham, who averaged 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in 2007-08, and 6-0 Skye Rees (9.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

Newcomers expected to see playing time in the post are 5-11 Phyleice Beaver, 6-5 Jelena Cerina and 6-0 Alizandra Odell. Odell didn’t play last season after signing with Pittsburg State.

“The bulk of our scoring should come from our inside game,” Rowland said. “These players have the ability to shoot the ball.”

Plus, Rowland said, NEO has 6-5 Andrea Moreno who’s scheduled to join the team in the second half of the campaign.

Rowland said that Kashei Hopkins, a 5-7 freshman, has the inside track on running the NEO offense.