The Greyhounds’ women’s basketball team might not be playing at the level they were anticipating before the start of the season, but individual performances from players such as Isabella Therien ‘21 have made the Greyhounds a fun and entertaining team to watch.
Therien, who leads the team in scoring, is a bright spot in the Greyhound lineup. A sophomore forward from Marlton, New Jersey, Therien has had incredible success so far this season. She scored a season high 28 points against Lafayette and is averaging 14.3 points per game. With the season winding down, The Greyhound had a chance to sit down with Therien and get her perspective on this year’s team and her own success this season.
“Before the season started, the expectations for the team were very high. Although we haven’t had the success that was anticipated, we have learned many things and were able to overcome many obstacles,” Therein said. Currently, the Greyhounds have a record of 3-19 and are 2-9 in the Patriot League. With their record, the team sits at ninth place in the league.
“This season we faced many unexpected injuries which was a setback at times; however, I think the grittiness of our team allowed us to overcome these adverse challenges. Expectations are always good to have, but as our coaches say, there are always expectations written on paper by reporters and coaches etc., but a team that is truly willing to exceed these expectations are the ones who will be successful,” Therien said.
Therien herself has been one of the players on the team affected by injuries. She just recently suffered from an injury, which has left her out for eight weeks, meaning she will be out for the remainder of her sophomore season.
“We have gone through a lot together, and no matter how bad the circumstances have gotten, we continue to have each other’s backs. This team has pushed through a lot, and in my opinion, the way the situations were handled really shows the togetherness of the team, and that speaks volume,” Therien said, commenting on the team’s successes so far this season.
While there are certain areas of the team that are going well, Therien feels that the team has room for improvement. “In my opinion, I think our team can work more on being consistent with our defense. It has been said many times before: defense does win games. I was never a big believer in that, but heading into college, my perspective has definitely been altered,” Therien said.
The Greyhounds are a team full of experience, with nine out of their 13 players being upperclassmen. “In my experience, I have always enjoyed playing with upperclassmen. There are so many things you pick up on, especially as a lower classman. The biggest thing for me is having guidance. There is a sense of leadership while playing with upperclassmen, and I think it builds your own confidence and character,” Therien said.
Therien has been a highlight for the Greyhounds this season. She leads the team with an average of 22 points a game and is second on the team with 6 rebounds a game. “Many of my successes have come from my ability to score the basketball,” Therien said. “While this has been a big contribution to the team, I have been wanting to improve upon my rebounding game, which I felt that I have. This season I tried to take more of a leadership role as well. I think it is important for players to lead, especially when they have the confidence and ability to guide people towards [sic] success. Although our team hasn’t had the success we hoped for, we will continue to stick together and get better each and every day,”
Therien and the Greyhounds look forward as they face American on Wednesday Feb. 13.
Feature Image courtesy of Craig Chase
