Nov 24, 2014 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – Analyzing the style of play and philosophy of the Waynesburg University women’s basketball team is not complicated.

The Yellow Jackets begin full-court pressing its opponent as soon as it enters the gymnasium and attempts to turn the game into a fast-paced, fast-breaking, 94-foot contest. It’s run-and-gun basketball on the women’s level. Waynesburg, which has a roster that goes 11 deep, comes at you in waves and dares you to keep pace.

“It’s a fun style,” says Waynesburg senior guard Becca Kerr. “It’s an upbeat style. We get the ball and go. We try to keep pressing and wear down the other team.”

So, far only one opponent has been able to keep up the Yellow Jackets.

Kerr scored a career-high 19 points Monday night as Waynesburg wore down and defeated Franciscan 75-64 in a non-conference game at Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. The win improves the Yellow Jackets’ record to 2-1.

“I love fast-break basketball,” said Sam Jones, Waynesburg’s seventh-year head coach. “My first few years here, we didn’t have the depth to play this style. Now, we’re deeper and more committed to it. We like to play at this pace. I’d say it was three years ago that we really concentrated on it.”

And with a team heavy on experience in the system, Waynesburg kicked up its pace a notch this season. Against Franciscan (0-3), Waynesburg wore down the Barons, who played only eight players but managed to trail by only one point at halftime. Early in the second half, the Barons finally broke under Waynebsurg’s pressure defense and fast pace.

Kerr scored six of the first 10 points in the second half to give the Yellow Jackets a 41-34 lead. After a basket by Franciscan’s Iliana Gonzales, Waynesburg went on an 11-0 run to open a 52-36 advantage.

Katie Gehlman had five points during the run, including a banked-in three-pointer. Addy Knetzer, a freshman from Chartiers-Houston, scored four of her 10 points during the key stretch.

“We count on wearing down an opponent at some point because of the pace,” Jones said. “That’s why we went on the big run in the second half. I could see signs in the first half that (Franciscan) was wearing down. I knew that if we got off to a good start in the second half, then we would be OK.”

Kerr agreed with Jones. Both pointed to Franciscan scoring only two field goals in the final 9:50 of the first half as a sign of fatigue.

“Even before halftime I tell they were getting tired,” Kerr said. “This style of play allows us to gamble on defense and sometimes it leads to fouls.”

That’s what happened in the first half. Waynesburg fouls sent Franciscan to the free-throw line 18 times. Ten of the Barons’ last 14 points in the half were free throws.

Shortly after the 11-0 run, Waynesburg secured the win with a 9-2 spurt that pushed the lead to 63-44 with 7:50 remaining.

Jones said the Yellow Jackets still have some bugs to work out in their press and perimeter offense, but the Yellow Jackets’ pressure bugged Franciscan all night, forcing 21 turnovers.

“We want to play 94 feet,” Jones said. “We don’t always trap in the press, but we do it to keep the pace up. Sometimes teams just make silly mistakes doing that. It does make the other team uncomfortable.”

Sara Schriner led the Barons with 17 points. Gonzales, who was averaging 16.5 points, scored 14 but was 4-for-25 from the field.

Maura Bobby came off the bench and played a steallar all-around game for Waynesburg, scoring 13 points. Point guard Lauren Blair did not score but she had 11 assists.

“We’re out to play an upbeat style,” Blair said. “We practice to play that way. We keep pushing it.”