Freshman Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage provides post help for WSU women

While recovering from two knee surgeries that have delayed her impact on the Wichita State women’s basketball team, freshman Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage has been finding her groove on the scout team during practices.

The results have been effective and Lozada-Cabbage registered her second straight start against Bradley on Friday, posting six points and a season-high six rebounds. She’ll likely start when WSU (5-18, 2-10 MVC) plays host to Loyola (12-11, 8-4) on Sunday at Koch Arena.

“I think it’s starting to come back to me,” Lozada-Cabbage said. “Just getting the multiple reps in practice and being on the scout team has helped me a lot. I think it is coming back to me. It’s definitely getting there.”

Lozada-Cabbage was one of the few bright spots for coach Jody Adams in the loss to Bradley. The 6-foot-2 forward has proved to be a versatile player for Wichita State when healthy.

She missed the start of the regular season and didn’t make her debut until Jan. 1. She played in four games, then had to prove herself again in practice. After not playing in a game for three weeks, Lozada-Cabbage returned on Feb. 5 at Drake and returned to the starting lineup the next game.

“You can still see the athleticism and the power that she has and the ability to finish around the rim with contact,” Adams said. “She makes unbelievable reads for a young player. The way she slips those screens, those are advanced reads.”

That ability to read the pick-and-roll game has made her an instant favorite to the team’s guards, especially TaQuandra Mike.

“Just to have that relief to know that she’s going to roll correctly to the basket and to get the pass there, that gives you that extra boost of energy,” Mike said. “It’s great because that’s what I love to do, on-ball screens.”

Lozada-Cabbage said that it comes naturally to her. But Adams has raved about her practices and thinks it’s not a coincidence that the freshman has quickly become one of Wichita State’s most consistent players in a season full of inconsistency.

“She uses every possession in practice to gain confidence and make herself better,” Adams said. “Her outlook on things is one of the most positive I’ve ever seen for a person of that age. She stays after it and what you see is a product of what she puts into it.”

This story was originally published February 13, 2016 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Freshman Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage provides post help for WSU women."