The State Fair Community College Lady Roadrunners traveled to Springfield on Saturday, Oct. 17, to participate in three scrimmages at The Courts. SFCC took on Oklahoma Wesleyan University, College of the Ozarks and Missouri Baptist University.

The format for the scrimmages was a game like setting using the new NJCAA Women's Basketball rules, which include playing four quarters instead of halves. This event also used the new foul rules.

"I thought the scrimmages served as good preparation for what we're going to face with the new NJCAA Rules," said Lady Roadrunners Assistant Coach Rich Biddulph Jr. "This event was the first set of scrimmages that we have been to that used the rule changes."

In SFCC's first scrimmage, they took on Oklahoma Wesleyan University, an NAIA school from Bartlesville, who defeated the Lady Roadrunners.

"I didn't think we played particularly well," said Biddulph. "We got off to a slow start just like we did in the first scrimmage in Texas and never really recovered. Give credit to Oklahoma Wesleyan; they had a lot of energy. They were very crisp in their offensive sets. The score was close at halftime, but they pulled away from us at the end."

In the second scrimmage, the Lady Roadrunners took on College of the Ozarks an NAIA school from Point Lookout, Missouri and won.

"That was probably the best that we played in our six scrimmages so far in the preseason," said Biddulph. "The team collectively and each individual responded with a much better effort than we had in the first scrimmage. The intensity was there from the beginning on the defensive end. We really smothered them, and we rebounded the ball well. We did a good job of sharing the ball offensively; they played well."

SFCC took on Missouri Baptist University in their final scrimmage. The Lady Roadrunners were able to come out with the victory to go 2-1 for the day.

"I think the Missouri Baptist game was a combination of the first two games," said Biddulph. "We played very well in spurts and then had spurts where we didn't play as well. The game was close at the end. I thought it was a positive that we were in a close game and were able to execute down the stretch."

SFCC will travel to Overland Park, Kansas, to participate in the Midwest Juco Jamboree on Friday, Oct. 23. This will be their final tune up before opening the regular season at home in the McDonald's Classic Oct. 30 against Kirkwood Community College at 5:30 p.m.

SFCC Athletics