By MIKE HUTCHENS
Messenger Sports Editor
Family was involved in helping Brandi Goodman make her college choice.
It was only natural that she took them into consideration when picking the University of Memphis.
“It’s close enough for my family and friends to come and see me play,” the Obion County Central girls’ basketball standout told The Messenger Thursday after making a verbal commitment to play for the Tigers.
“They (family) all said it was my choice and up to me, but they had a role in my decision. We just all decided that it was the best place for me.”
Goodman said she intends to make her choice official during the early signing period for basketball recruits in November.
The 6-2 rising senior said Memphis won out over Michigan, South Carolina, UT Martin and Southeast Missouri State in the decision. She had visited both UTM and SEMO and had long had scholarship offers from those schools.
Goodman will enter her final prep campaign already highly-decorated, an all-stater as a junior when she averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds per-game while helping the Lady Rebels to the Class 2A state championship game.
She’ll start play in her senior year with 1,442 points.
Goodman said simply had a “gut feeling” that Memphis was the right place for her.
“When I took my official visit, I just really felt comfortable,” she said. “I liked the coaches, I liked the campus and it just felt like a good fit for me on the inside.
“I went down on a Friday, met with the coaches and toured the campus. We then went and played laser tag and I started immediately bonding with the girls who’ll be my teammates.”
She’ll play for Melissa McFerrin, who became the Tigers’ head coach in 2008 and has led Memphis to three straight 20-win seasons, including in 2011-12 when the Tigers went 25-8 and advanced to the second round of the women’s National Invitational Tournament.
Goodman said the Tiger coaching staff told her during her recruitment that she “could come in and play immediately” her freshman season in 2013-14.
She expects to play the four-spot or power forward, but said she was told she could slide into the center position if individual mismatches are available.
Goodman said the Tiger coaching staff “told me I could come in and play immediately.”
“They will lose a forward after this coming year and that will be my position,” she said.
Now, Goodman hopes she can enjoy her senior season at OCCHS without the distractions of college recruiters.
“It was a big decision, and I’m happy and the (Memphis) coaches are happy,” she said. “I feel really good about it.”
Sports editor Mike Hutchens can be contacted by email at mhutch@ucmessenger.com.

Published in The Messenger 9.21.12