Jackrabbits see Miller as impact player
BROOKINGS – The South Dakota State women’s basketball team, laden with proven veterans, included a true freshman in its media day contingent Wednesday.
The decision wasn’t solely based on timing in terms of class schedules.
Macy Miller from Mitchell might be the most heralded true freshman the program has had at the NCAA Division I level. She’s local, accomplished and part of a legendary basketball family. Less than a week away from the exhibition opener, the 6-foot point guard is in line for important minutes – perhaps even a starting spot.
It’s an unusual situation for a program that again has high expectations and generally placed rookies in complementary roles.
“I’m just super-excited for the season to come,” Miller shrugged. “We’ve been practicing really hard. Just got to keep pushing. We want to be that top team in the conference.”
The Jacks are picked to be just that, favored in the Summit League preseason poll to run their streak of regular-season championships to four in a row.
They bring back nine returning letter-winners from a squad that reached the semifinals of the WNIT, the deepest run in a postseason tourney in conference history.
Outside expectations were going to be high for Miller regardless of what happened in the offseason. She torched the South Dakota prep scene in historic fashion last season, setting Class AA state records for scoring in a game (49) and season. It was not a one-year wonder. Her career averages: 30.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.1 steals, 3.7 assists and 1.4 blocks.
The accomplishments were magnified because of her lineage: Her dad and two brothers played in college and her cousin, Mike, is a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a former NBA rookie of the year, sixth man of the year and two-time NBA champion.
Macy is uniquely suited to step into the starting five, if that’s the way things go, by virtue of her skills and her upbringing.
Still, this is an opportunity of misfortune as SDSU incumbent starting point guard Gabby Boever – the team leader in assists and steals – suffered a leg injury during a summer workouts. The senior is expected to miss a considerable chunk of the season.
“(Miller) is about as even-keel and consistent as any player can be, whether you’re a freshman or senior,” said Jacks coach Aaron Johnston, whose team opens the regular season Nov. 14 by hosting BYU. “People forget she’s been around basketball her whole life. She’s seen her family go through it – the ups and downs, pressure, stress. I think from our observation she’s learned how to manage all that stuff.”
It’s natural to Miller to the point that she seems caught off-guard by the line of questioning. She’d much rather talk about the game – that the speed of Division I is much faster than high school, that she’s working on becoming a better ballhandler and that she’s improved her outside shot in the offseason, getting lower and releasing quicker.
Johnston said that the 2014 Argus Leader Player of the Year brings more of an offensive-minded approach to the point position than SDSU has had of late, which should also open up things for others. And this five-person freshman class (four true, one redshirt) is being billed to be as good as last year’s impact trio. So Miller won’t have to carry the load – even if she proves capable of doing so.
“I just try to work as hard as I can,” she said. “I don’t just want it handed to me – I want to make sure I work hard for it and be the best I can be.”
The SDSU men have a heralded new point guard, too, except they’ll have to wait until roughly mid-December to gain his services. That’s because George Marshall transferred from the University of Wisconsin at semester break last year and has to sit out until then, per NCAA rules.
He’ll have a season-and-a-half of eligibility for the Jacks, who were picked fourth in the Summit preseason poll coming off a third consecutive postseason appearance. In the meantime, another touted transfer guard – junior college All-American Deondre Parks – likely will run the point.
It’s just that he’s more of a combo guard, and coach Scott Nagy expects SDSU will be at its best with both guys on the floor. They’re among nine players that haven’t logged any minutes for the Jacks heading into the Nov. 14 opener at Buffalo.
“I’m pretty anxious right now,” said Marshall, who started six games for the Badgers in 2012-13. “I know when the games get started I’ll definitely be ready to go.”
ONLINE CHATS
Up next: The Jacks play an exhibition doubleheader Oct. 30 against School of Mines, with the women at
6 p.m. and the men at 8:30.
Campus beat: Terry
Vandrovec will host his weekly SDSU sports chat today at 2 p.m., and Mick Garry will chat USD sports at 3 at argusleader.com