Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
WILSON BACK TO LEAD UAFS MEN INTO SEASON
FORT SMITH — University of Arkansas-Fort Smith men’s basketball coach Jim Boone couldn’t help but smile when asked about fifth-year seniors Matthew Wilson and C.J. Rollins. Both opted to come back for one final year with an extra year of eligibility with an extension because of COVID-19. Boone couldn’t be more thrilled that they did with Wilson set to lead the backcourt and Rollins ready to guide the frontcourt. “To have both these guys back is special,” Boone said. “The experience they bring, the quality of play they bring and the understanding of who we are is a blessing. We are excited to have both those guys back in our program. They are really good basketball players, but they are really good people, too. They are what the program is all about.” The young and inexperienced Lions finished 5-11 in Boone’s second year. UAFS is now turning the table in the experience department, and it is being shown clearly in practices, Boone said. The Lions return nine players from last year’s team, which is the most in Boone’s three years at the program. “We have flipped the table because now experience is the biggest thing we have gained from a year ago and two years ago,” Boone said. “Last year was very difficult for our young team. We had six freshmen and we practiced two days in November and a handful of days in January. Those are two of the most critical developing months you have for your team. We didn’t have an opportunity to establish an identity a year ago. We are getting a chance to do that now.” The Lions, who haven’t had a winning season since the 2017-18 season, hope the turnaround starts now. UAFS is picked to finish 11th in the Lone Star Conference preseason media poll. But the team is optimistic this could be the breakout season it has been working hard toward. It will start with Wilson, a Farmington native, and Rollins, who are both coming off monster seasons for the Lions. Wilson averaged 15 points, three assists and three rebounds per game while shooting 43% from behind the arc, which was a 9% increase from the previous year. “I knew that wasn’t the kind of shooter that I can be,” Wilson said. “I think the improvement mainly came down to not forcing it and taking better shots. That’s something I made an effort to do better last year. I want to keep that
going this season.” Rollins truly shined in a breakout season and even played injured down the stretch. He nearly doubled all his counting statistics by averaging 15 points with a team-high eight rebounds per game. Rollins also was ultra efficient shooting 63% from the field, which was a program best in a single season. “The only way to go is up,” Rollins said. “I think I can score even more for my teammates if it is needed. I think I’ve gotten mentally tougher. I was just taking good shots and being confident. I want to have another good season for my teammates again this year.” There is plenty of talent around Wilson and Rollins though. Junior guard Evan Anderson returns to be a shutdown defender and strong passer. He could best his seven points and four assists per game average last year. Justice Cooper, a redshirt freshman from Melbourne, was second on the team averaging seven rebounds and added four points per contest. Fellow returners Daryl McElrath, Drew Miller of Rogers, Alex Brogdon of Little Rock, David Ekezie and Braden Boyer all look to make an impact as well. This will be the fifth season for Wilson to play under Boone spanning from Delta State now to UAFS. Boone joked Wilson might be asking for a divorce by now since they have been together for so long. But Wilson wouldn’t have his senior year play out any differently — playing in his home state and under his longtime coach that has shaped his life. “In high school, I didn’t have any offers other than coach Boone,” Wilson said. “He believed in me. When the time came to transfer from Delta State or not, it was an easy choice to follow him here. Not many guys get to play for five straight years. It was an incredible opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I’m grateful for coach Boone on and off the court.” Boone, who enters his 36th season as a head coach, knows a thing or two about leaning on the defensive side of the ball to get wins with his signature pack line defense. He currently ranks eighth nationally in wins among active coaches and 32nd all-time. What Boone loves most about this current team is its ability to play defense at a high level. He knows that could be a big factor in swinging the upcoming season. Transfer guards Courtney Murrell and Cameron Bush of Little Rock could be the pieces to put that unit over the top. “They are going to have to learn on the fly, but they are doing a good job,” Boone said of the transfers. “They have really helped our approach defensively, which is really important to us. They’ve added quickness, athleticism and a degree of toughness to our perimeter defense, which was needed. We instantly become a better defensive team with those guys, and they are still learning.” The duo will play a factor on the offensive end as well. UAFS will look to replace the 20 points per game it got from Waldron’s Peyton Brown, who transferred away from the program after earning allfreshman and second team all-Lone Star Conference honors. The team feels it has unfinished business heading into the season. What could be a big asset for the team is its unselfishness and its willingness to share the basketball on offense. “We have a lot of guys that are passfirst and are real teammates,” Rollins said. “They can make plays, too. But they make the right pass to get the better shot. Guys want to congratulate you on your makes. We have some playmakers that want to be great teammates. I know I can score the basketball, but I would rather give Matt a screen and watch him make a shot. This team is special.” The Lions were able to close out last season strong finishing with a 2-2 record down the stretch. In those wins, they handed Dallas Baptist one of its three conference losses and got another win against a winning team in St. Edward’s. Boone said he feels the momentum has carried over to this season. How far will it take the program? They are ready to find out. “I really like this team a lot,” Boone said. “We’ve got some talent. We are in the right place. It has taken us a while to get to this point with some adversity. How long will it take for us to move to the next point? I don’t know. But we will find out more this season. I expect us to be very, very competitive. More so than last year. Anything less than that, I wouldn’t be happy with it. We are ready to take that next step.”
WOMEN’S PREVIEW
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith women’s first-year coach Ryan McAdams remembers exactly where he was when he really learned about the Lions program. About 13 years ago when the university started to make the transition to Division II, McAdams was working as an assistant men’s coach at Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., early in his career. The topic of the shift in classifications for UAFS came up as the news was breaking. “I remember hearing it was a great opportunity and that they were going to hit the ground running with the resources they had,” McAdams said. “It was an eye-opening moment in the room. I didn’t know much about the area at the time, but I’ve learned a lot since. It’s always been in the back of my mind.” So when the job opened over the summer, McAdams went for it without much connection to the Lions. Now he couldn’t be happier to be guiding the program he heard about all those years ago. “The transition has been amazing,” McAdams said. “It’s been a lot at once every day. But it has been great getting to know the athletes and seeing what we need to be successful. We have been implementing the new system. Everyone has been welcoming. It has been great getting my feet on the ground.” Practices have been full of highenergy players excited to play for their new coach. But also the players are just excited to be playing the game they love again. The Lions had a nightmare season
filled with canceled games and eventually an opt out because of COVID-19. They were able to play just nine total games and finished 3-6. “It was very difficult,” senior forward Mar’Shalia Lollie said. “But I can say that season brought us together. We had plenty of time to bond through the season. At the end of the day we only had each other. Doing what I love is amazing. I love practice and can’t wait for the season to start. I’m super excited. We are getting better.” Lollie along with fellow fifth-year seniors Paige Elston and Dachelle Terry, who played at Springdale Har-Ber, will look to lead the way for the Lions, who are picked to finish 14th in the Lone Star Conference preseason media poll. Lollie led the team a year ago in scoring with 14 points and had a teamhigh 9 rebounds with a steal per game, too. Elston scored 10 points per game and averaged 3 steals per contest. Terry chipped in 8 points per game. “We are excited to coach this senior class and help them end their careers on the right foot,” McAdams said. “We are excited to coach Lollie. She is a good one. Paige has stepped in and has set herself apart. Terry has been playing strong on the perimeter. Those are our old hats. They have been playing college basketball long enough to know some of the things that are coming out of my mouth before they even do. They lead by example.” With last season getting cut short, it might be natural to put more pressure on yourself if you are a senior and it is your last season. But that isn’t the approach Lollie is taking for her last year of eligibility. “Doing something you love you just have to have fun with it,” Lollie said. “That’s the only way I think about it. We want to go out with a bang. We want to give it our all and leave it all on the court each game. There is no turning back.” There is plenty of talent around those seniors, too. Hannah Boyett, just a sophomore, was second on the team in scoring with 14 points with two assists, a steal and a block per game. Ashanti Eden, also a sophomore, also returns as one of the four double-digit scorers from last year. She averaged 11 points with two steals per contest. Leiloni Culley, a junior, will play a big role as well after missing all of last season. She scored seven points per game in 2019-20.
Overall, the Lions returns 11 players along with five newcomers, which include a three-year transfer in Bentonville’s Shania Wilson, all looking to make an impact as well. “I am excited about the talent that is here,” McAdams said. “I purposely didn’t watch film on this team coming into this. I wanted a clean slate. It was a fresh look at the entire program. I’m getting texts from opposing coaches with box scores from last year with names highlighted. They were all players coming back that played well. Those things kind of alert me outside our bubble that we got some talent coming back.” Although the expectations are not high outside the program, Lollie feels the Lions can make some moves this season in the standings. She loves the talent she sees around her in practice and is ready to see what this team can do. “We’ve got something to prove this season ,” Lollie said. “We want to be the best. We want to try to be first in the conference. We’ll take that challenge. We obviously have a lot to prove coming back from nine games.”