Positive thinking

The Detroit Mercy women’s basketball team has had a rough few seasons.

After last year’s suspension following allegations of mistreatment by ex-Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert, the team entered this season with an entirely new roster. All of the players are from outside Michigan.

After its most recent loss Sunday against Robert Morris, the Titans are 0-20.

Players, however, are not letting the losing streak or last season’s off-court issues affect them and are attempting to remain positive and build a winning culture.

“Despite the drama that happened and all the games losing streaks, we are doing our best to not let that affect us in any aspect, either mentally or physically,” Akyia Baker, a freshman guard from New Jersey, said in an interview. “Our approaches to games are different, no matter how many games we lose in a row we will still come to the next game with the mentality to win. That is our mentality and that is what our coach always talks about and that is the mindset we need to have if we want to win and make this program a winning program.”

She said the team’s goal remains to practice hard, compete and get better every day, and said that everyone was on the same page.

Janna Lewis, a forward who previously played at Northern Kentucky, said she is positive and enthusiastic about the team because their mindset is good.

They all want to come to practice every day and get better individually and as a team and they are all willing to do what it takes to get the team at the level it belongs, she said.

Lewis said they learn from every loss and do not let it affect them through the course of the season.

The team has eight remaining regular season games.