Rangie Bessard gives Shockers new dimension

According to the box score, Rangie Bessard scored nine points, or a little less than 18 percent of Wichita State’s offense, in a 58-51 loss to No. 16 Tennessee last Friday.

After transferring from Minnesota last winter, Bessard, a 6-foot-1 freshman, was making her debut at Wichita State on a team that desperately needed her presence in the post.

Bessard made a far larger impact than what her stat line indicated. Coach Jody Adams doesn’t think it was a coincidence that WSU (1-6), a week after losing to Southeast Missouri State at home without Bessard, played its best game of the season with Bessard.

After a demanding start to the schedule — the six teams WSU has lost to currently have a combined record of 38-18 — it doesn’t let up with Eastern Washington (5-4) headed to Koch Arena on Tuesday night.

“When Rangie steps on the floor, it brings so much confidence to our team,” Adams said. “It’s a presence in the paint, it’s a stretch. She can bounce it, she has a high IQ. The whole team changes.”

Bessard is just one of five players who had previously missed time this season. Marija Pacar also returned in the Tennessee game after clearing concussion protocol.

Brittany Martin remains out until January, while Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage (knee) and Jyar Francis (concussion) remain day-to-day. Adams said all three would miss Tuesday’s game.

“There’s just been some pieces missing and we still have to get that continuity going,” Adams said. “It’s nice to have a few of those pieces back that we’ve been missing, but we’d like to get everyone healthy.”

Francis was leading the team in scoring off the bench and could form a nice tandem in the post with Bessard, but the two have yet to play together.

Teammates raved about Bessard’s savvy on the court and she delivered against Tennessee, reading the game like a veteran and making a significant impact on the defensive end with five steals and two blocks.

“It was a big difference,” junior TaQuandra Mike said. “Her presence, especially in the second half when we needed her the most, she stepped up.”

It had been over a year since the last time Bessard played in a game and while she has been practicing with the team, she still is focused on working herself back into playing shape after the long layoff.

Tuesday’s game provides the latest opportunity.

“I feel like I should have come out more aggressive in the first half (against Tennessee), but I let the fatigue get to me,” Bessard said. “We all have to go back to the drawing board and go to work for me that starts with my conditioning to help my team.”

This story was originally published December 14, 2015 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Rangie Bessard gives Shockers new dimension."