JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – With the start of the 2020-21 season inching closer, we begin the women's basketball position previews starting with a look at a talented frontcourt needing to plug the biggest hole featuring senior Addison Byrd.
The Marosites twins are the key loss from group led by Kayla, a consensus All-American. The three-year starter walked away from Mossy Creek with a slew of records including career double-doubles racking up 27 career awards. She finished in the top 10 of three career categories and is the only player in C-N history to record a 20-point, 20-rebound night.
"She is always calm and collected," Byrd said. "When it came to tip off she was like 'I am going to get mine'. This is my game and she knew how to take over. I want to learn how to be like that."
Kelci made 106 three-pointers over three campaigns ranking 10th on the school's all-time ledger. In 18 minutes per night, the forward stuffed the stat sheet off of the bench with six points and three boards on average.
Byrd is the top returner among this group having been named an all-conference player in back-to-back seasons and earning a spot on the preseason list entering 2020-21. She played 20 minutes per night in 28 games as the team's top option off of the bench as a junior She produced 14 double-digit scoring efforts including a pair with at least 20.
The Nashville, Tenn. native dropped 21 points and nine rebounds in a road win at No. 21 Lander on Nov. 9. A couple months later, she went 9-for-12 from the floor scoring a season-high 22 points against Queens on Jan. 11.
For her career, Byrd enters the 2020-21 season with 721 total points shooting 47 percent from the field adding nearly four rebounds, two assists and a steal per game over 80 career contests.
"I have played so many positions since I came here," Byrd said. "I think I will be playing the 3-guard this year which is what [Kayla] Marosites played last year. I am more focused on slowing down and reading all of my options and being able to finish around the rim."
The lone starter returning to this unit, Harli Smith (Jamestown, Tenn.), was one of the top freshman in the league a year ago. Earning 28 starts, Smith played in all 30 games scoring in double figures a dozen times. The sophomore ended her first go-around strong tallying double digits in five of her final six games of the year averaging 11.2 points, four rebounds making 56 percent of her field-goal attempts
Sydney Pearce (Johnson City, Tenn.) netted a pair of starts as a sophomore but saved some of her best moments for big stages. She yanked down eight rebounds at 15th-ranked North Georgia on Nov. 23. In the SAC Quarterfinals, Pearce posted 15 points making seven or her nine shot attempts adding five boards and two blocks in 14 minutes.
Katie Bean (Knoxville, Tenn.) has seen action in 26 games over her first two seasons at Mossy Creek notching a career-high 10 points going a flawless 5-for-5 in 10 minutes for her first-career double-digit scoring effort against Coker on Dec. 14.
Joining the fray for the year is Lindsey Taylor (Maryville, Tenn.) who produced an all-freshman season in the SoCON last year for Furman leading the Paladins to a 19-12 record. As a rookie, she averaged 6.6 points and just shy of three rebounds per night adding eight steals and five blocks. In 14 minutes of action per night, Taylor shot 60 percent from the field making 71 of 118 field-goal attempts.
"Since we haven't had a true big and other teams have I am looking forward to it," Byrd said. "It is more easy buckets for us to get. Lindsey is so strong. I am so confident in her. She works out with me sometimes and I can see that she is going to put in the work. I look forward to feeding her the ball and seeing what she can do. I don't think anyone in the SAC is prepared to guard her."
The final piece to the puzzle is the lone freshman on the roster, Abbey Hodge (Rutledge, Tenn.). Coming from a line of family members to play at Mossy Creek, Hodge is the fifth member of her family to suit up in the Orange and Blue.
During her high school career, she was a three-time All-District performer making the All-District Tournament team in each of her four seasons.
The final part of our position previews is slated to be released on Nov. 12 with a look at the backcourt with senior guard Madison Bunch.
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