My brain has limited bandwidth. It’s the AOL of mental capacity. I can only commit a vested interest in so many sports. A friend of mine once asked me to join his fandom for the Las Vegas Knights. I tried, man. I wore a Knights hat religiously. I checked in on games. Paid attention to the standings. But in the end, I simply didn’t have enough bandwidth for professional hockey. Go Knights!

Last year, I devoted a more than normal measure of precious bandwidth to A-State Women’s Basketball. Destinee Rogers had seemingly constructed a potent team around emerging superstars Lauryn Pendleton and Izzy Higginbottom – the later a once-in-a-lifetime scoring talent whose buckets were worth the hours spent on ESPN Plus. The team finished 13-17 and lost its last seven games. Higginbottom was injured for much of the season, but it wasn’t just her absence that contributed to the team’s flounder. The program simply had little sizzle outside of Higginbottom and Pendleton. The team’s field goal percentage was bad, and its defense was worse. When Pendleton transferred to Alabama A&M and Higginbottom left for Arkansas (for additional sting), my bandwidth collapsed.

I think I’m back, tho. I felt the rumble early in the season when Arkansas State dropped 100 points in its win over Arizona State. Sophomore Crislyn Rose had 33 points in that game. Losses to Arkansas and UA Little Rock reset my expectations, but what I didn’t realize was that these Red Wolves have become exceptional outside sharpshooters, nailing more three-pointers than anyone in the conference. Overall, the team is still shooting an abysmal 38% from the floor, but the Red Wolves are average a conference best 11 made three-pointers per game on a conference second best 34% shooting.

Unlike last season, when the majority of the deep-ball scoring came courtesy of Higginbottom, four Red Wolves rank in the SBC’s top 20 for three-pointers made: Kennedie Montue (4th, 37), Shaunae Brown (5th, 34), Kyanna Morgan (12th, 26) and Annaliese Griffith (17th, 24). Opposing defenses who once thrived on bottling up Higginbottom how have too many options to guard. As a result, Coach Rogers’ Red Wolves are currently 5-1 in conference, one game behind mighty James Madison.

So yeah, I guess I’m back! Winning changes a lot of attitudes and widens bandwidth. I’ll be at F’N Bank Arena this Saturday when Arkansas State takes on ULM.

PHOTO CREDIT: Carla Wehmeyer, Arkansas State