Three takeaways from 2023-24 Missouri Tigers women’s basketball media day

Missouri women’s basketball is just over a week away from tipping off the 2023-2024 season against Belmont at Mizzou Arena.

On Tuesday, the entire team met with the media to talk about the upcoming season.

“We just have the approach of we gotta win it,” coach Robin Pingeton said. “We gotta win the day. And that’s the mindset and it’s been just a really fun group to coach.”

Pingeton has previously spoken on this year’s expectations, which athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois has said involve an NCAA Tournament berth after an early WNIT exit last year. Despite that, Pingeton has said she doesn’t feel excess pressure going into the season.

So how are things shaping up?

Here are three things we learned from Pingeton during her media day session on Tuesday afternoon...

Will Missouri play an exhibition?

Last year, Missouri hosted Northwest Missouri State for an exhibition game at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers won 70-27, getting every player some action before MU’s season opener against Missouri State.

This year, Missouri’s exhibition games are a little different. For example, there was a much-more-secret closed scrimmage with Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

“We went to SIUE, which was kind of nice to just get on a bus and go experience what traveling would look like,” Pingeton said. “It was a day trip, so we’re there and back.”

The fans won’t see the Tigers this preseason at Mizzou Arena, but Pingeton said there are still advantages to playing in a closed scrimmage.

“Typically there are exhibitions, I think there’s pros and cons to both,” Pingeton said. “Playing under the bright lights on that stage with fans I think is important. But I also think being in a closed scrimmage where you can do more situational stuff — and really break it down the way you want to with whoever that opponent is — is valuable, too.”

MU will be playing in another scrimmage in the coming days, giving the Tigers another chance to do a bit more on the practice court.

A familiar face joins the coaching staff

Haley Troup, a five-year player (plus a redshirt year) for the Missouri women’s basketball team, is someone Pingeton has wished she could keep around even longer. Luckily, that’s actually somewhat the case, albeit in a new role.

“I wish we had seven years for her,” Pingeton said. “I guess we do. She’s a GA now in her seventh year.”

This season, Missouri’s coaching staff welcomes some new additions, including Preston Beverly as an assistant coach and Julia Ford as a special assistant to the head coach.

Troup is an addition to that coaching staff, too. She’s a graduate assistant for the Tigers this season after her college career came to an end in 2022-23.

Troup will help with MU’s scout team, meaning she still gets to play basketball with the Tigers even after she finished her playing career having appeared in 148 games. Beyond that, Troup can offer some counsel for the players on the Tigers’ roster this season.

“I know she’s somebody that our players rely on heavily, just as somebody that has walked a mile in their shoes,” Pingeton said. “She’s been doing a tremendous job, and (I’m) excited to have her around for another season.”

Point guard rotation is still to be determined

MU needed to recruit depth this offseason to join the freshman talent that will set up the program’s future. The Tigers got that in graduate transfers Abby Feit, Angelique Ngalakulondi and De’Myla Brown.

Each of the three adds depth and experience in different ways: Feit can play in small-ball lineups and both around the perimeter and in the post, Ngalakulondi fills the need for an active and efficient post player and Brown adds crucial depth at the point guard position.

However, that point guard rotation will still need time to fall into place.

“We’re still waiting to find out the waiver status for De’Myla,” Pingeton said. “That’s a big question mark that we’ll probably find out sooner than later.”

Brown, a transfer from Houston, had to apply for a medical waiver for eligibility this season since she has already used the one-time transfer rule.

The Tigers are hoping Brown can officially add her point guard skills to the team, which would benefit the MU offense. Brown would join Averi Kroenke and Mama Dembele as players who can run the offense.

Pingeton was complimentary of the offseason that Kroenke had, noting the sophomore from Rock Bridge can play the point guard position and an off-ball guard position, too.

Having all three guards available would help MU with different lineups, but more importantly, it would help the Tigers stay fresh.

“For us to get the most out of Mama, it’s being mindful of those minutes and giving her quick breathers here and there,” Pingeton said. “In the past, maybe we haven’t had the ability to do that or the luxury to do that, but I think what we’ve seen out of Averi so far has been really, really good, and I think that will just allow Mama to pick up more in the full court, which I think is one of her strengths.”

The Star has partnered with the Columbia Daily Tribune for coverage of Missouri Tigers athletics.