Going one-on-one with Jamilah Humes isn’t easy. The sophomore guard beats her defenders with spinning moves and hard drives to the basket. Bowling Green coach Curt Miller called her one of the best one-on-one players in the Mid-American Conference.

Humes returned to the Kent State women’s basketball team after being suspended for legal reasons last season. This season she’s averaged 11.3 points a game and has solidified her position as a starting guard. With 48 steals so far, she’s one away from matching her career best.

Sports reporter Josh Johnston faced off with Humes in a one-on-one . interview.

You’ve been back for 18 games now. Has the excitement of being back on the floor worn off yet?

Definitely not. It’s always exciting playing the sport I love. Sitting out for a year, it really shows you how much you really love the game.

I don’t know if you know this, but right now you lead the MAC in steals per game. Oh no, I didn’t.

So what do you do to force all those turnovers? I go out and play every game the same. I just go out and try to play as hard as I can on defense, and if it comes to me, if I can force somebody to turn over the ball, then that’s what happens. Sometimes, it works out for me more than others.

What gets you pumped up for a game? Music? Oh yeah, I always listen to my Zune before a game. At least an hour before the game, even before I get there, I’m listening to my music like somewhere off by myself, just getting myself mentally prepared and ready for the game.

Anything specific on your Zune?

Usually before a game I always listen to gospel music. It always gets me pumped up. I listen to a lot of Kirk Franklin, always gets me going. Fred Hammond, Tye Tribbett . those are a couple.

Have any weird pregame superstitions? (laughing) No, I’m not superstitious.

When you’re not playing basketball, what do you do? Class. I’m usually somewhere in class or study hall. If I do have some free time, I always like going to the movies when I can. I love all different types of movies.

You’re known for being tough to guard one-on-one. If you could pick any NBA player to go one-on-one with, who would it be? Probably (Phoenix Suns guard) Jason Richardson. Only because we’re from the same town (and) the same high school, and I think it’d be fun to go against him now on account of he’s a star and everything.

Ten years from now, are you still playing basketball? Definitely. If I’m not blessed enough to go maybe overseas or (to the) WNBA or whatever, I’m sure I’ll be in someone’s rec gym, somebody’s league doing something.

Last weekend against Western Michigan, you hit all 11 of your free throws. Just how many free throws can you make in a row? I know I’ve hit 20 in a row before.

Really? Yeah, we shoot free throws all the time. We shoot free throws every week. At least 200 free throws a week.

Do you guys compete to see who can hit the most in a row? No we don’t. We should do that, though.

Contact sports reporter Josh Johnston at [email protected].