By Sean Holohan

It’s hard to believe, but it’s that time again.

The college basketball season is sneakily waiting right around the corner.

The road to March Madness, for many teams, begins this weekend, and the Troy women’s basketball team will kickoff their regular season Friday night when the Trojans travel to Auburn for a non-conference matchup against Auburn.

The women, who finished 12-18 overall last year, enter the season lead by All-Sun Belt preseason selection Ashley Beverly-Kelley.

The junior guard averaged 13.2 points per game last season and will look to step in seamlessly for All-Sun Belt selection and top scorer in the conference one year ago,  Joanna Harden.

The Trojans averaged 80.4 points per game last season, good for 15th best in the nation.

The Trojans prefer to engage opponents in up-tempo, quick-scoring shoot outs.

But during the offseason, head coach Chandra Rigby said although she doesn’t care much for half court offense, she has been stressing the importance of defense and patience.

“We’re much better this year at the half-court situations,” Rigby said. “My thing was just push, push, push for offense. Make it exciting. But now we understand…we really can score 105 points and let someone score 106 and lose the game and it’s all for nothing. We have definitely focused on defense this year.”

The Trojans are without three of their starters from last season, but will return two this year in Beverly-Kelley and senior forward Kourtney Coleman.

Tip off is set for 6 p.m. Friday at Auburn Arena.