10 Questions with Green Bay's Megan Lukan
INDIANAPOLIS--Cam Fuller caught up with Green Bay guard Megan Lukan. The junior from Ontario, Canada, talked about the team’s youth, the opportunity to play with her sister at the collegiate level and expectations for the season.
Meet Megan Lukan
Position: Guard
Height: 5’7”
Year: Redshirt Junior
Hometown: Barrie, Ontario, Canada
High School: Barrie Central
2013-14 Season (Junior)
- Preseason First Team All-Horizon League.
- Averaging 9.4 points, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
- Scored a season-high 14 points, eight rebounds at Maine on Nov. 30.
2012-13 Season (Sophomore)
- Averaged 7.1 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game.
- Set a career-high nine assists vs. Youngstown State on Feb. 16.
- Posted a career-high 22 points vs. Valparaiso on Feb. 23.
- Named Horizon League Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 25.
2011-12 Season (Freshman)
- Averaged 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
- Scored 20 points in Horizon League Championship game—a 66-53 victory over Detroit.
- Horizon League All-Tournament Team selection.
- Posted four steals in Second Round of the NCAA Tournament against Kentucky.
2010-11 Season (Redshirt)
- Redshirted the 2010-11 season, retaining four years of eligibility.
Playing on a team with a combined nine freshman and sophomores, how can Green Bay use the close loss on Dec. 18 against No. 18/21 Purdue as a positive experience?
We proved that we have that fight and regardless if we are young we are still a Green Bay team that takes pride in our work ethic and that’s something that we’ll have to keep priding ourselves on and that’s what will get us those wins in the future. I know our past few games weren’t the outcomes we wanted, but we have a long season and if we put too much on these loses we won’t be able to progress in the future.
After Green Bay graduated five seniors last season, how important has it been for you to step up as a team leader?
I think it’s been real important just in the sense of showing the girls the expectations. Even though we lost a lot of good talent, I do think we still have a lot of talent that remains and a lot of the freshman that came in are very skilled. This season is going to revolve around the chemistry as a team and how well one through 12 can play together.
Your sister Kali, who is tied for the team lead at 10.3 points per game, is back in the lineup after tearing her ACL on Jan. 12. What is it like to have her back in the starting rotation?
It’s really nice, and just for me to have her on the court beside me is really remarkable. I’ve said this before, we’ve only had one opportunity to play together prior to playing in college and it’s been a real treat.
Freshman Tesha Buck is averaging 10.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Talk about the early impact the 5’11” guard has had.
She’s had a huge impact early on. She’s one of those girls that is very confident in her offensive game and we’re very confident in her. Her skill when she came in is just remarkable; she sees a lot of things that we don’t see, including myself and I think that’s helped her get a lot of assists she’s gotten. The thing is it’s only going to help our team so if she can continue to keep growing—she’s already having a huge impact—but she’s really going to have a huge impact on the team.
Green Bay’s four losses this season come against teams with a combined 33-12 record. How will playing a difficult schedule prepare the team for league play?
This is all getting ready for conference play. Even though we had loses, we came back in all of them and eventually we are going to find a way to win of those. I think it just speaks volumes of the team that we have and the players we have this year because we are so new and unfamiliar and inexperienced.
Up next is a game at Wisconsin on Dec. 31. Green Bay has won the last four meetings by an average margin of 15.25 points. What is it going to take to continue the recent success against the Badgers?
Our expectation for ourselves is to go out and win that game. I know we’ve been pretty successful (against Wisconsin) since I’ve been here. The goal is to win the game at the end of the day; it will be a very good game, they’re a talented team and I know they have a lot of returning players that are really good.
From your freshman campaign to today, where have you seen your game progress the most?
With my shot and my confidence in my shot. I don’t take a lot of outside shots in the game but at the same time when I do shoot them, I think I’m going to knock them down. When I first started I was scared to shoot. Improving my shot has been huge part to help my game because I know if I can’t get to the rim I can shoot it and if people might not be letting me shoot it I can get to the rim.
You’ve played under two successful coaches at Green Bay, Matt Bollant and Kevin Borseth. What’s the biggest difference between the two coaches?
There is a difference between the two and their style of play is somewhat different and somewhat the same, but the fact is they both really want to win and they’re passionate about the game. It’s nice to be under a coach that will literally do everything and anything to find ways to win and finding those ways for us. It’s been a treat to play under both of them and I’m really enjoying it right now.
What are some things you enjoy doing off the court?
I scrapbook a little bit and one of my other favorite sports is rugby, I played that in high school. Besides that we just kind of hang out as a team, we’ve gone bowling a couple times, and the other day we had a breakfast at Mariah’s (Monke) house.
What can Horizon League basketball fans expect from Green Bay when league play start in early January?
You’ll see us fight—fight has been through all of the team’s that have been here over the years. Green Bay basketball is about hard work and you never stop trying and you fight all the way through. Although our record may not show how talented we are, I still believe we are a very talented team and we’re going to give people a run for their money.
