Freshman Clark comes up big for Belmont women

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Belmont University women's basketball coach Tony Cross was certain he could convert Alysha Clark, who had a power forward's game in a small forward's body.

Instead, she converted him.

"She plays a lot taller than 5-10," Cross says of his freshman, who has led the Bruins to a 20-6 record and first place in the Atlantic Sun Conference at 16-3 after defeating Lipscomb 72-64 on Tuesday.

Clark had 25 points and 17 rebounds against Lipscomb to push her season averages to 21.5 and 11.6. She is shooting 56.7% from the floor.

Only three other freshmen average a double-double: Courtney Paris of Oklahoma, Quanitra Hollingsworth of Virginia Commonwealth and Traci Edwards of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"It wasn't long until I realized she was the best post player we had," Cross says. "I wised up in a hurry."

He was one of the few. Clark, who led undefeated Mount Juliet High to a 3A Tennessee state championship and a No.9 USA TODAY national ranking last year, was overlooked by major Division I programs primarily because of Cross' dilemma about her position.

Vanderbilt, like Belmont based in Nashville, was Clark's first choice, but the Commodores passed. Indiana showed interest but never offered a scholarship.

"You can't give up," Clark says. "You just have to keep working hard."

She did that in an 82-62 win vs. Clemson in the Lady Tiger Classic at Memphis. She schooled players who were 5 inches taller, posting season highs of 36 points and 18 rebounds in just her fourth game.

"I'd never been up against anyone bigger than me," says Clark, the only Bruin averaging double figures in points. "Clemson's girls are all like 6-3 and 6-4 inside. That told me I can play inside with bigger girls."

Cross says she is the best freshman he's coached in his 22 years at Belmont: "When we got Alysha, everybody in the state perked up. The perception of our program, that we can get a player with her ability, helped our recruiting tremendously."

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