Cameron Aggies looks to carry momentum into 2021 season
LAWTON, Okla. (BVM) – Coming off of a special run in the 2020-21 season, the Cameron University women鈥檚 basketball team feels like it was no coincidence the Aggies were able to make it into the national tournament.
As February arrived, the Cameron Aggies were amidst a four-game skid in Lone Star Conference play and a bid in the NCAA Division II Women鈥檚 Basketball Championship was looking slim.聽
From then on, the season spun on its head, and the Aggies took their play to a new level. Opening the month against conference foe UT Permian Basin, the Aggies put on a stout defensive performance en route to a 76-65 win.
Containing UT Permian Basin to just 34.4 percent shooting from the field and 0-14 from beyond the arc, the Aggies were not to be ignored any longer. Following their first win in nearly a month鈥檚 time, Cameron then put together two dominating showings against familiar UT Tyler.
In the two-game showdown against UT Tyler, Cameron鈥檚 bench outscored Tyler鈥檚 78-47, as the Aggies saw contributions from nearly every member of the squad. Leading rebounder Stephanie Peterson credits their chemistry to being accompanied on the same floor.
鈥淚t really helps on the court because we all get along super well,鈥� Peterson said.鈥�
The Aggies’ tear continued into a massive win against No. 7 Texas A&M Commerce. Peterson feels the team knew their 鈥渉ard work had finally paid off. It also made us more motivated because at that point we all knew our team was capable of being a top-level team.鈥�
The triumph was followed by back-to-back wins against West Texas A&M, where the Aggies won two competitive contests in Lawton. Though the sweep emerged into the last wins of the six-game streak, Cameron certainly felt encouraged.
Strong late-season action led the Aggies to an opening-round victory in the Lone Star Conference Tournament against Midwestern State. Consecutive losses to eventual national champion Lubbock Christian ended the season, but an appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament was a definite bright spot headed into another COVID-19 interfered year.
鈥淸It was] an amazing experience and lots of fun,鈥� Peterson said.聽
From a season-saving six-game win streak to ending the year with two straight losses to the undefeated national champions, Cameron faced many levels of adversity in the 2020-21 season.聽
鈥淭his season we are way more prepared than we were at this time last year,鈥� says Peterson, who averaged 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in the previous campaign.
鈥淥ur goal is to win the Lone Star Conference Tournament,鈥� says Peterson. 鈥淢y favorite part about this year’s team is that we are so much closer than we have been in years past.鈥�
聽鈥淚 am a very vocal player and I direct people in games鈥� and help keep the energy up,鈥� Peterson said. She also has been working to 鈥渋mprove [her] offensive arsenal by having different shots I can take inside the 3-point line.鈥澛�
The program radiates hope as the Aggies know they have what it takes to acquire silverware this season. On Nov. 12, Cameron has a chance to prove themselves as they open up the season in Lawton against Adams State.
