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16 2022 NWA COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW | 11.6.2022 "I think from game to game last season the more experience I got, the more confidence I had," she said. "Just being out on the court whether that be taking that open shot and like being ready to knock it down. I just think my confidence grew every game. "And I'm excited to carry that into this year." She said the confidence in her shown by teammates and coaches only served to buoy her own convictions. "Knowing they have confidence in me just helps me play better honestly," Langerman said. "Being able to make good decisions as the season went on, that improved for me. As my experience grew the more I was on the court, the more I got comfortable. So I was able to make better decisions. "Toward the end of the year I was able to make more shots because I was more willing to take them and I was ready and more prepared." That saw her playing time soar as she was one of only two Razorbacks to play in all 32 games a year ago, averaging more than 19 minutes per game. That's quite a change from her freshman year when Langerman played in only 13 games of 28 games and averaged just a shade over seven minutes per game. Neighbors has said over and over that Langerman understands her role and focuses on making the most of it. She definitely embraces it. "I'm a hustle player and I know that," Langerman said. "That's what I pride myself in so they knew I would bring that every game. So I knew that's what they expected out of me. So I made that kind of who I was and I was proud to be that player for us." Even though the numbers don't tell her true worth according to Neighbors, she experienced a bump in stats last season for sure. She averaged 3.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and a shade under an assist per game. That's different from 1.2 points and 1.1 rebounds as a freshman. Neighbors said her performance was no surprise to the people who saw her every day in practice. She was close to breaking into more playing time as a freshman, he added. "We've seen Rylee in practice. As a freshman, she was on the cusp of breaking into the lineup," Neighbors said. "She did so many good things in practice. But we had a lot of good players. She was there when we needed her." She's also battled with a condition called Alopecia, an autoimmune disease where the person loses their hair. But Langerman has chosen to look at it as a blessing rather than a burden. "I think just throughout my life, basketball … it has been a huge outlet for me with it," Langerman said. "I wouldn't say it's affected me as a player but as a person. Having a physical difference from other people definitely challenges your self-confidence and I think that is something I had to learn at a young age. So I think just learning that lesson and carrying it over to sports and to basketball has just shaped the way I play." She's tried to put herself out there as an advocate for young people who also have Alopecia. "What they would say is it's so nice to see someone who looks like me," Langerman said. "And so I just think being able to be put in a light where this is normal and just kind of normalize it is a big help for me because there's a lot of little girls who are insecure about it and I want them to understand that physical differences don't have to make you feel any less. "Just because I've been where they've been … it seems like it's a huge challenge but you can definitely overcome it. I want to show them that." Rylee Langerman File Photo