Wins Speak Louder than Words

by B. Clifton Burke

The University of Cincinnati women’s head basketball coach J. Kelly Hall, refers to his leading scorer, red-shirt junior guard Kahla Roudebush, as the Silent Assassin.

Roudebush lets her play speak for her, and lately, she’s made a lot of noise on the court.

“I’ve been trying to get more vocal, but that’s not really my game. I just go out and try to do the action before I start talking,” Roudebush said.

She has averaged over 23 points in her last five games, and on Jan. 5, was named to the Big East Honor Roll for Player of the Week. Roudebush ranks 12th in the Big East in scoring with 16.5 points-per-game.

“She’s our outside threat, and she’s the person we look to when the shot-clock’s running down,” Hall said.

Coach Hall has relied on Roudebush’s durability this season, as she leads the Big East in minutes played and has played all 40 minutes five times this season.

“We know every time going out pretty much, that she’s got to give us 40 minutes solid for us to have a chance to play,” said Hall.

Hall talked about Roudebush’s commitment to working harder in the off-season, and said the 12 pounds that she lost as a result of her training has helped her become a better player.

“She is in the best condition that she’s been in since she’s been at Cincinnati, and it shows. Teams are concentrating on her, and she’s still shooting a good percentage,” said Hall.

“It’s just a mentality,” Roudebush said about playing so many minutes. “My coaches need me to play that much. Basically that’s how I think about it: I need to do it, and I need to do my best in however many minutes they give me.”

To play that much, Roudebush has been able to avoid early foul trouble, and says that fouls are indications of not being prepared.

“I look at foul trouble as when you’re not ready to play the game. When you come out and get two quick fouls in the beginning, that just shows a mentality that you weren’t ready,” said Roudebush.

Her coach also isn’t worried about foul trouble.

“We don’t talk about (foul trouble),” explained Hall. “I think our team is second in the country in not fouling and we’ve had one kid foul out all year. That’s a whole philosophy: we don’t waste fouls. When you think about that, part of our whole defense is that we’re not going to put the other team on the foul line.”

Known primarily as a shooter, Roudebush has made an impression on Hall for her defensive as well.

“She brings tremendous offense. That being said, defensively, she’s matured this year and she’s helped us there.” Hall said.

When asked to shoot, Roudebush has converted over 35 percent of her three-pointers this season. She also leads the team in assists (2.9) and is third in rebounding (4.6).

“My teammates get me open, and I just shoot it. They do all the hard work, I do the easy part,” said Roudebush.

Coach Hall’s Silent Assassin may not always be so quiet, but he hopes she can continue to hush opponents with her stellar play for the remainder of the year. Cincinnati (12-4, 2-1) next hosts Seton Hall Jan. 17, before consecutively facing three ranked opponents in the AP top-25 poll: at No. 7 Louisville, No. 1 Conneticut and at No. 10 Notre Dame.