CONWAY — It’s not supposed to be this easy.
Central Arkansas forward Megan Herbert is averaging 24.3 points and 13.9 rebounds per game through her first nine games as a freshman. Both rank in the top 15 in the nation.
In fact, her rebounding average leads the nation. Additionally, she’s had at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in nine consecutive games to start her college career.
That’s a long way from the 33 consecutive times that former Oklahoma standout Courtney Paris managed the feat from 2006-2007, but itdoes put Herbert near very elite company. She’s just one away from cracking the top 20 for most consecutive games with at least 10 in two statistical categories.
Herbert has twice been named Southland Conference women’s basketball player of the week, the only player to achieve that recognition more than once this year.
“It’s not easy, and, in fact, she’d be the first to tell you that it isn’t,” Central Arkansas Coach Matt Daniel said.
Herbert, 5-11 , had 11 points and 10 rebounds in her collegiate debut against Belmont on Nov. 13 at Nashville, Tenn. She registered a 12-point, 10-rebound game two days later against Lipscomb.
Herbert, an 80-percent free-throw shooter during her career at Shiloh Christian High School in Springdale,was 1 of 6 from the line against Lipscomb.
Complicating the situation for Daniel was that the Sugar Bears lost both games, a new experience for most of the Central Arkansas freshmen, many of whom came from highly successful high school and AAU programs.
Daniel said Herbert was particularly distraught.
“She was inconsolable,” Daniel said. “She didn’t want to hear anything from anyone. She just wanted to get back in the gym and make it right.”
That doesn’t surprise Herbert’s high school coach, Vic Rimmer.
“She’s a very sweet kid- one of my favorite kids to be around. But, once she’s on the court, she’s a fierce competitor,” Rimmer said. “She doesn’t want to be pitied. She wants to win, and she’ll just work at it. She’s as tough on herself as she is anyone else.”
And work at it, Herbert did.
As soon as the bus arrived back from Tennessee, Herbert went to the Farris Center in Conway, grabbed a rack of basketballs and went about the process of fixing her free throws.
“I practice free throws all the time, because I figure as often as I get fouled, I need to be able to hit those,” Herbert said. “But after that game, I just went in there and shot until I couldn’t anymore.”
It paid off.
Four games later on Dec. 1, Herbert was 16 of 16 from the free-throw line in an 86-77 victory over Tulsa at the Farris Center. She scored what was then a career-high 36 points and pulled down 18 rebounds against the Golden Hurricane.
Amazingly, Herbert said she was unaware of how well she was playing until she looked at the statistics after the game.
“Somebody came up to me and told me what I scored, and I was shocked,” Herbert said. “When I’m playing, I’m so focused on the next play, I don’t really have time to keep up with totals in my head. The only thing I’m worried about is are we up or down and by how much.”
Daniel said that Herbert’s attitude is reflected in her teammates.
“You can’t tell these girlsthat they aren’t going to win,” Daniel said. “All they talk about is one day getting to the NCAA Tournament.”
Even Herbert said that’s probably just the exuberance of youth talking. The Sugar Bears aren’t even eligible for postseason play until 2010-2011 and their seven victories represents one more than they had all of last season.
Plus, the Sugar Bears are the youngest team in NCAA Division I basketball, and that youth and inexperience is likely to rear its head sometime soon.
Their roster includes just three juniors, and only one of the Sugar Bears’ top five in scoring is not a freshman, and that’s sophomore Nakea Guiden.
“We know we’ve got a long way to go, but we know how much work it’s going to take and that we’re willing to do it,” Herbert said.
Rimmer said he wouldn’t bet against Herbert.
“I’d be lying if I said that I expected Megan to be doing this well this early on,” Rimmer said “But, if Megan says she’s going to go to the NCAA Tournament, she’s going to the NCAA Tournament. Count on it.”
Sports, Pages 13 on 12/22/2009