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Ruffridge finds her rhythm at Missouri State

Photo courtesy of Missouri State athletic communications Elle Ruffridge, a former Pocahontas Area star and the state’s all-time scoring leader, works her way up the court last season for Missouri State.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Elle Ruffridge admits there were some difficult moments during her freshman season with the Missouri State University women’s basketball program.

But looking back now, Ruffridge knows her ability to persevere through the trials and tribulations have made her a better player.

And a better person.

“Confidence is something I really struggled with last year,” Ruffridge said. “I didn’t perform or shoot as well as I wanted to, but that never stopped me from working hard. The hardest part of going through that battle was being seven hours away from home and not having my biggest supporters there when I really needed them.

“However, getting that freshman year under my belt was key to moving forward. I feel great with where I’m at right now and know what it takes and looks like to be successful. Last year was all about learning and becoming adjust to this level of play. It’s exciting to see how far my teammates, as well as I, have grown in the past year.”

Ruffridge saw action in all 33 games a year ago, averaging just over three points and almost two rebounds per game. She also had 30 assists and nine steals, with 26 of her 59 rebounds coming on the offensive end.

Her best game was a 10-point effort vs. Indiana State, as she made a pair of 3-pointers and was 4-for-4 at the free throw line. In four other games, she had seven-plus points.

Ruffridge found herself in a different part of the athletic facilities — away from the basketball court — to better herself for the upcoming season.

“I spent a lot of time in the weight room and put in a lot of miles on the track,” she said. “Another thing I really focused on was my nutrition and practicing better eating habits to fuel my body.

“Going through an entire season of college basketball, I learned the importance of taking time to rest. I’m a go-getter and a very driven person — always wanting to work — but taking time off is essential, especially for a college athlete.”

During her career at Pocahontas Area, Ruffridge helped the Indians to back-to-back state titles and a combined 100-7 record. She finished as Iowa’s career leader in points (2,951), assists (802) and made triples (466), earning four all-state selections in the process.

All of those accolades, though, didn’t guarantee anything at the next level.

“I hate admitting it, but playing defense was never a top priority for me in high school. It is for me now in college,” Ruffridge said. “As crazy as it seems, I got a lot of rebounds and my team counted on me for that, so that’s another thing I am going to continue to do each game.

“As a team, the end goal is to win the (Missouri Valley) Conference championship and play in the NCAA Tournament.”

Missouri State will compete in the Roo Holiday Classic in Kansas City in December, with league action scheduled to start in January. The Bearcats are at Drake (Feb. 1) and Northern Iowa (Feb. 3) for back-to-back games in Iowa.

The MVC Tournament set for March 14-17 in Moline, Ill.

“Last year was definitely full of ups and downs because of the adversity I faced,” Ruffridge said. “I am not only a better basketball player, but an even better person now.”

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