Commodores head into holiday break on hot streak
A 10-2 record through the first two months of a season has typically been nothing to get particularly excited about for a Gulf Coast women's basketball team over the past two decades.
Given where first-year Gulf Coast coach Rory Kuhn and the Commodores started in the summer, it counts as quite the achievement.
Following a 75-68 loss to Eastern Florida State in the season opener, the Commodores have won 10 of their last 11 games, including four victories over nationally-ranked teams, and have moved into the top 25 of the NJCAA poll for the first time this season, coming in at No. 19.
There are still three more games to go before the start of the Panhandle Conference schedule, but all things considered it's been a pretty successful start to the season for Kuhn's Commodores.
"To be honest, I didn't know where we would be with getting here so late and putting a team together on the fly," Kuhn said. "Until a couple of weeks ago we were just trying to figure things out. But the players are starting to settle into roles and feel comfortable that what we're doing is working because we've been winning games.
"Overall I'm definitely happy with where we're at. I don't know if I expected it, but we're doing good and I'm happy with it."
Gulf Coast most recently took three straight wins at the Florida Southwestern Holiday Classic in Fort Myers last week, its last games before returning to action for three more Dec. 28-30 in Americus, Ga., knocking off Miami Dade, Indian River, and then-No. 11 Florida Southwestern.
The Commodores also hold a win over No. 7 Georgia Highlands and are 4-2 vs. nationally-ranked teams this season, losing only to No. 24 Eastern Florida State, a loss that they later avenged, and No. 6 Shelton State.
The victory over Florida Southwestern is just the latest illustration of the Commodores' ability to compete with any team in the country, according to Kuhn.
"I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment so far," he said. "We haven't cared about the rankings really all year, but we knew that (Florida Southwestern) was ranked high and we wanted to prove that we're just as good if not better than those teams. I think the kids have had a chip on their shoulders a little bit. Looking at the schedule we've shown we can pretty much play with anyone, I think the record against ranked opponents kind of proves that."
The Commodores continue to be led by Morgan Robinson
The Commodores continue to be led by freshman point guard Morgan Robinson, who is
the team's top scorer at 21.1 points per game and top rebounder at 6.8 per contest.
Robinson averaged 24 points on 54 percent shooting from the field in last week's wins
in Fort Myers, but Kuhn said she still has another level she can and that the Commodores
need her to go to this season.
"She's lived up to (expectations) a little bit so far, but I still think there's more for her," he said. "I still think she can be a lot better and we've been clear with her on that stuff and she's willing to get better. As long as she's willing to get better and keep working I think she can be a really special player."
Robinson is currently the only Gulf Coast player shooting 30 percent or better from the 3-point line on 10 or more attempts at 30 percent, with the team shooting just 24.3 percent as a team in an area that was thought to be a strength before the season.
The Commodores have compensated for their shooting shortcomings by dominating the free throw game, making more shots from the charity stripe (236) than their opponents this season have taken (236), and leading the nation in free throw attempts per game (27.3).
"I haven't used that one in a while, but that's always a good stat and a recipe for success," Kuhn said of his team's free throw makes exceeding the opponents' attempts. "It's probably a big reason why we're winning these games. We've been an aggressive and attacking team and we're getting rewarded and making them pay at the free throw line."
The main areas that Kuhn said the Commodores need to improve on are defense and rebounding and they should get a boost in both departments with the addition of 6-foot-4 Northwest Florida State transfer Musharapha Alhassan, who will be eligible to join the lineup on Dec. 28.
"I think she'll help just on her size alone and being big and able to rebound and hopefully alter some shots and finish around the rim," Kuhn said of Alhassan. "I would expect her to impact the game. I think she can be really good."
Those three games at the SGTC New Year's Classic will be the last outings for the Commodores before they begin play in the Panhandle Conference on Jan. 4 by hosting No. 1 Northwest Florida State.
The Raiders are one of four Panhandle teams in the national rankings, followed by No. 2 Chipola, No. 15 Pensacola State, and No. 19 Gulf Coast.
Kuhn said he hasn't really turned his attention to conference play yet but is excited to see where Gulf Coast stacks up in the nation's premier JUCO league.
"I do think that we can play with anyone," he said. "I don't think there's anybody in the country we can't play with. Obviously our conference is the best in the country, so we'll find out where we stand. That's the good part about the Panhandle Conference, it won't take long to find out how good you really are."