Lady Cougars to start practice first thing on Saturday

New Columbus State women’s basketball coach Anita Howard is ready to get started.

Division II programs are allowed to start practicing on Saturday, and Howard will have the Lady Cougars on the court at 12:01 a.m.

“I am excited just like the coaching staff,” Howard said. “But the girls are probably much more excited. The energy in the gym will be second to none.”

Howard was hired in early June after Jonathan Norton stepped down. Norton led the Lady Cougars for seven seasons and a record of 141-61. His teams won two Peach Belt Conference regular-season titles, two PBC tournament titles and made three straight trips to the NCAA tournament.

“They have had a great offseason,” Howard said. “We are all excited with what is to come with the new recruits and the returnees and seeing how they blend together.”

CSU will be looking to replace two-time All-America Michelle Mitchell, who averaged 20.3 points a game last season.

The Lady Cougars will play an exhibition game on Nov. 12 against Agnes Scott at the Lumpkin Center at 2 p.m.

The Lady Cougars open the season on the road against Albany State on Nov. 18 in Fort Valley, Ga.

The Cougars will wait until 9 a.m. to hold the first of two workouts on Saturday for coach Robert Moore.

“I am very excited to open practice,” Moore said. “I think this group is a totally different group than I had in the last two years. Only two guys (JaCori Payne and Arben Camaj) are back with some playing experience in the Peach Belt, so we have a bunch of new guys.

“That gives me a chance to mold them the way I think they can help Columbus State basketball stay on top of the Peach Belt.”

The Cougars went 21-8 last season and won the Peach Belt regular-season title. They also went to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. Payne was the fourth-leading scorer last season at 10.4 points per game.

“We are coming off a great season, winning the regular season,” Moore said. “We were a little disappointed we didn’t get any further in the NCAA tournament.”

The Cougars will play the Army All-Stars in an exhibition at the Lumpkin Center on Nov. 12.

The regular season will tip off on Nov. 16 when they host Middle Georgia State at 7:30 p.m. at home.

This story was originally published October 13, 2016 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Lady Cougars to start practice first thing on Saturday."