Playing with a starter's mentality
Cowgirls' Baker has embraced opportunity for more playing time
January 6, 2016
LARAMIE - Maybe some players are simply born to start. It's in their DNA.
That certainly appears to be the case for University of Wyoming sophomore forward Natalie Baker.
As a freshman, Baker played in 16 games off the bench for Wyoming before her season ended with a wrist injury. In those 16 games, Baker averaged 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds.
This year Baker - again coming off the bench - averaged 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds in the first eight games of the season.
Then came the news that starting sophomore forward Bailee Cotton would have to miss 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. The 6-foot Baker started Wyoming's next game against Montana State and had a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds in a win.
She added 11 points and three boards coming off the bench in UW's next game, but returned to the starting lineup for the last two. In the four games since Cotton's injury, Baker is averaging 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 26.1 minutes and is shooting 52.5 percent from the field. Those totals included a 19-point, 10-rebound performance against San Diego State in her best all-around game as a Cowgirl.
Starting definitely appears to agree with Baker.
"With losing Bailee someone had to step up," Baker said. "You have to perform or you don't play so just telling yourself that this is something that has to get done has helped me. I'm a little bit older from last year and I think I've grown this season."
Baker was recruited by the Cowgirls because of her dual-threat abilities on offense. While shooting nearly 50 percent from inside the arc, Baker can also step outside the 3-point line if needed. She's third on the team in 3-point percentage (31.8).
"In recruiting players, we try to find four (forward) players that are 6-1, 6-2 that have the ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter, but maybe can play a little bit inside," UW coach Joe Legerski said. "Natalie's more of a natural perimeter player, but she's had to step up (inside) and she's done a very good job."
Legerski also said he's seen a different mentality with Baker since she moved into the starting lineup.
"I think it's a mindset where Natalie's changed her philosophy where Natalie knows she's a starter and will get starter minutes," he said. "We always knew that for Natalie, she just had to change her mindset and that's the difference between being a starter and a role player off the bench."
Baker's increased presence on both ends of the floor will be needed even more with the loss last week of senior forward Jordan Kelley to another knee injury. It's the third suffered by a Cowgirl this season (freshman Daley Handy was lost for the season prior to practice even starting), leaving UW razor thin for frontcourt depth.
Baker is quick to point out that her increased offensive production has as much to do with Mountain West preseason player of the year Marquelle Dent as anything.
"Marquelle will find you and coach talks about that all the time as bigs to be ready all the time and expect the ball from her," Baker said. "Just knowing that and playing with Marquelle more makes it look like I'm scoring around the rim more, but it's more of Marquelle finding open players."
About Air Force
The Cowgirls (8-4 overall, 1-1 MW) take on a Falcons team that has struggled in the transition to first-year head coach Chris Gobrecht. Air Force (0-12, 0-1 MW) has lost its 12 games by an average score of 72-45 and its closest game was a 57-48 loss to the University of Denver on Nov. 18.
Sophomore guard Cortney Porter leads the Falcons in scoring at 11.4 ppg while junior guard Mary Cavanaugh averages 6.5 ppg.
Wyoming is 45-2 all-time against Air Force, with the Falcons' last win coming in 2005. Still, nobody with Wyoming is taking this game lightly.
"They're a team that goes out and competes and they rebound and get after it from a rebounding standpoint," Legerski said. "We've got to continue to improve defensively and we've got to be aggressive and get to the free throw line. When we do that, good things happen."