Both the men’s and women’s team opened the end of their practices to the media Friday. Here are some notes from both:

Women’s Basketball

• Missing from action was sophomore center Erica Chandler. Head coach Mike Bozeman said Chandler was “indefinitely suspended for a violation of team rules.” He declined to comment further. Chandler played 47 minutes in nine games last season, averaging  0.9 points on 2-of-4 shooting and 0.9 rebounds.
• After seeing a depleted roster due to injury for two straight seasons, Bozeman said his team was relatively healthy this year, the only exceptions being junior guard Shi-Heria Shipp and freshman guard Bria Bourgeois. Shipp is practicing with the team, but is still working to come back from her knee injury. Bourgeois has yet to practice with the team, but will return within a week from taking time to strengthen her knee through conditioning.
• Junior guard Danni Jackson was the most visible player on the court, showing growth offensively but also clearly functioning as a vocal leader for her teammates.

Men’s Basketball

• The practice was mainly run by head coach Mike Lonergan, with help from associate head coach Hajj Turner.
• Assistant coaches  Pete Strickland and Kevin Sutton were on the sidelines, taking notes and speaking to players as they stepped off the court.
• Senior guard Tony Taylor showcased fast, athletic play, dodging defenders and drilling shots from all areas of the key.
• Taylor was a vocal leader on the court, running offensive drills and plays from half court.
• The team ran through inbounding, pass and screen drills, focusing on getting the ball to freshman forward John Kopriva and sophomore forward Nemanja Mikic in the paint.
• Despite arecent illness, Mikic moved around the court quickly, draining characteristic treys with ease.
• Kopriva was visible throughout practice, exhibiting commanding reach in the paint and dodging defenders in his drives to the net.
• Lonergan emphasized facing a press defense, running drills with Taylor and junior guard Lasan Kromah inbounding from the sidelines.
• Kromah looked athletic and quick on the court, drilling shots and unafraid to step up the physical nature of play.
• When the team moved into a scrimmage, Taylor stole the ball and took it down the court, finding Kromah in the front court for an easy layup.
• Kopriva took charges well, at one point making a basket with sophomore guard Dan Guest actually draped over his back.
• The team was unafraid to challenge each other physically, with one collision ending with graduate student forward Jabari Edwards and freshman forward Jonathan Davis crashing to the court.