By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Wesleyan senior captain Mike Marietti proudly declared his high expectations for the 2015-16 season without the least bit of irony.
“I think the sky’s the limit for us,” Marietti said. “If everything comes together and we stay healthy and we play as a team. We’re not selfish. (We can be) conference champions and anything can happen in the national tournament.”
Marietti, the Titans’ leader in blocked shots (33) and field goal percentage (.670) last season, is the first Titan to go down to an injury this season. He underwent surgery for a torn meniscus he suffered while running sprints during practice last month. He hopes to return to play after the first week of the season.
Another Titan whose 2014-15 season was curtailed by a late-season injury, junior guard Andy Stempel, said he hopes to take his game to the next level this season.
“I think personally I can make gains with more confidence on the court,” Stempel said. “Maybe get more of a rhythm in the game. My teammates and coaches have more trust in me and confidence as now I’m a junior.”
Marietti and Stempel figure to be key returning players on a squad that graduated three starters from last year’s 20-9 team which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, losing to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Coach Ron Rose said the Titans can get it done inside and out this season.
“I think with the perimeter play we have we are going to want to get up and down, and the tempo is going to be similar to past years,” Rose said. “We are probably going to shoot a lot of threes, but we also have a lot of size and strength inside.”
The Titans open the season on Nov. 14 hosting Benedictine.
Women
IWU coach Mia Smith said the team has come ready to improve this season after a 10-15 campaign.
“I feel like we are making improvement daily and that’s a step up from last year,” Smith said. “Last year, we had a lot of flat practices, there wasn’t a whole lot of emotion and intensity in some of them. I felt that was part of my job having to bring that out. I’m not having to do that this year.”
Smith said the Titans need to improve free-throw shooting (63 percent last year) and in scoring offense and defense (68.5, 71.4 points per game, respectively)
Smith said the team needs to shoot the ball better this season, which comes down to shot selection.
“I think it’s taking the best shot for the five on the floor,” Smith said. “That is a little bit of discipline matched with a little bit of aggressiveness matched with just playing a smart ball game.”
The Titans open the season on Nov. 20 against Oberlin at a tournament at Albion College (Mich.)
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
