Nov. 11, 2013
By Mike Esse, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Ariel Edwards career at Penn State has been headlined by adjustments in terms of her role in the Lady Lions' rotation. She went from coming off the bench in 2011-12 to feature contributor off the bench in 2012-13 and has now started the first two games of the season for the Lady Lions.
This year, the senior captain expects to go from feature bench contributor to feature contributor.
In Penn State's win over Fordham on Sunday, Edwards gave her first glimpse of that adjustment by tallying 17 points, four assists and four rebounds. She didn't get going until seven minutes remained in the first half when she hit back-to-back jumpers to get her first points of the afternoon.
Those were her only points of the first half, but she caught fire in the second 20 minutes of play.
"I felt like, in the first half, I was a little hesitant and indecisive with the things I was doing," said Edwards of her second half performance. "In the second half I made better decisions and it seemed like I could get to the basket a little easier."
Edwards went 5-for-8 from the field in the second half for 13 points in just 11 minutes of play, leading all scorers in the second half. She was the go-to player for Penn State in the second half, something she hasn't been on a consistent basis in her Lady Lion career.
It's something that head coach Coquese Washington has said her team will need throughout the 2013-14 season.
"Now we are encouraging her to be aggressive," Washington said. "Again, that's a different role for her. Last year she was in the role of fitting in and letting things come to her. This year she has to be more aggressive and assertive. I was happy to see her step up and do that in the second half."
That message has been sent to Edwards prior to the season and it was something Edwards has made a point of doing both as a captain and as a scorer.
That's a major change from one year ago.
"I think that's something my teammates need me to do and my coaches would like me to do," said Edwards, "and I'm definitely trying to stay aggressive on the offensive end of the court. I think it's a little different because last year I was coming off the bench and just trying to help any way I could. Now I feel like I'm expected to give a little bit more and that's something I need to do."
Edwards performance Sunday was a cap to a satisfying first weekend of play for Washington and the Lady Lions in the win column. However, even after handling Saint Francis (Pa.) on Friday, 117-77, and topping Fordham, 78-61, Washington believes there's a lot of work ahead of them.
There isn't much time, though, as Penn State welcomes defending national champions Connecticut to the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday Nov. 17.
"We certainly have to get better in a couple of areas," Washington said. "We have to get better with our offensive execution because Connecticut is a really good defensive team. They do a great job of being disruptive on the defensive end so we have to get a lot more comfortable and confident in our offensive execution."
Edwards will be a key part in helping 2013 Big Ten Player of the Year Maggie Lucas in that category against the Huskies and throughout the 2013-14 season, something she has been waiting for since she first became a Lady Lion.