STARKVILLE — The options on both ends of the court make Vic Schaefer smile.
A year ago, Schaefer had plenty of reasons to smiles as the Mississippi State women’s basketball team won a program-record 28 games and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament for the second time. The Bulldogs reached those marks with a point guard — Morgan William — who often was at less than 100 percent due to a leg injury — and a freshman — Jazzmun Holmes — as the backup point guard.
This season, William figures to be healthier, Holmes has gained valuable experience, and MSU adds and experienced player — junior guard Roshunda Johnson — to the mix.
Johnson, who redshirted last season after transferring from Oklahoma State, will wear No. 11. At OSU, Johnson averaged 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 steals and helped the Cowgirls to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. She was a member of the Big 12 Conference’s All-Freshman team in 2014 and the league’s all-tournament team in 2015.
Just imagine the trouble Schaefer will be able to create with those weapons in the backcourt.
“I envision having Roshunda and Victoria (Vivians) on the floor at the same time,” Schaefer said. “It gives you two scoring options. Where Ro has to develop if she is a point guard is she has to own the team and run your team. There is a responsibility at point guard. That is the biggest piece Morgan has had to learn.”
Impact performer
As a sophomore in 2014-15, Johnson started 31 of 32 games and averaged 34.9 minutes to help lead OSU to a 20-12 record. She was third on the team in scoring (11.3 points per game) and first in assists (3.8 per game, seventh in the Big 12). She also was third in the league in steals (2.4) and seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.59).
Johnson averaged 5.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals as a freshman.
Coming out of Parkview High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, Johnson was rated the nation’s 38th-best player by All-Star Girls Report, No. 46 by Premier Basketball Report, 49th by ESPN/HoopGurlz, No. 45 by Full Court, and No. 50 by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.
Johnson is excited to return to the court. She also is excited about the new addition to her family, her son, Malaki, who lives with her in Starkville.
“At first I thought it was going to be a lot worse than it is, but I am adjusting and everything is going good right now,” Johnson said. “It is kind of how I want it.”
Johnson is working hard to make it completely like she wants it. She said earlier this month that getting back into game shape is her biggest challenge. That is an even bigger hurdle to clear considering she is a point guard because she knows how much responsibility she will have in Schaefer’s system. She said she is pushing herself to have a different mind-set than everybody else to get back to where she wants to be.
“I have to challenge myself and push myself 10 times harder than what the team does because I know I am way out of shape compared to the rest of the team,” Johnson said.
If that sounds rough, you have to understand Johnson is hard on herself. But that comes from understanding the role of a point guard. Johnson said she is making strides every day and that she is “way more vocal” than she was when she was at OSU.
The strides Johnson is making as a player are similar to the ones she is making as a mother. She said she enjoys talking with Malaki because she knows it will help him develop. She said she will tell him about her day and then ask him about his day. They also like to watch cartoons when they are together. When they are apart, he is always on her mind.
“They are both a lot of responsibility,” Johnson said when asked about the role of a point guard and a mother. “As a point guard, you have to lead your team and you can’t let them see you doing something wrong because then it will reflect on your team.
“With my son, it is always I want to do the right thing because he is always watching. Even when he can’t talk and do actions, he still realizes and knows what I am doing. It is a lot of responsibilities and it reflects on you.”
Pleasing progress
Schaefer said Johnson has a long way to go but that he has been pleased with the progress she has made. He said he is most pleased with her maturation in the classroom.
“She is a different student-athlete than the one that got her a year ago,” Schaefer said.
Johnson would agree. The time off the court has given her a new perspective on the game and a chance to embrace Schaefer’s style of play. Even though she didn’t get to take the court, Johnson feels she became a part of the MSU family in her first year on campus. Now that her first season as a active Bulldog is nearly here, Johnson is focused on talking to her team all of the time and getting everybody involved as one.
Those are the goals of a point guard who is primed to make Schaefer smile.
“When I am on the court, I don’t like to lose — bad — so I have to run at all times,” Johnson said. “I try to push myself even when I am tired. I hear everybody in my ear and they are like, ‘C’mon Ro. You can do it.’ In my mind, nobody understands because I have to push myself like I am 10 times more tired than everybody else. I just keep pushing myself because I know where I want to be.
“I see myself pushing my team a lot. When I run, I would expect them to run with me, so I have to keep talking to them and to get them open and create opportunities for my team.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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