DODGE CITY, Kan. -- The fast-paced Dodge City Community College women's basketball team is looking to bounce back in 2015-16 in Mark James' third year at the helm as the Conquistadors open the season 7 p.m. Tuesday at Northwest Kansas Tech in Goodland.

The Conquistadors went 12-19 overall and 3-13 in KJCCC play last season, but with more speed added to the roster, Dodge City is hoping to see better results.

The Conqs return four players from last season's team - including two of its three top scorers in 5-foot-6 guard Antania Newton (10.5 ppg) and 5-foot-7 guard Talisha Presley (10.4 ppg). Also returning is 5-foot-3 guard Rachala Ross (1.4 ppg) and 5-foot-8 guard/forward Fantasia Johnson (2.0 ppg).

Newton and Presley are expected to be in the starting lineup for the Conqs to start the season as well as 5-foot-11 redshirt freshman forward Amirah Greene and 6-foot-1 freshman post Rachel Slattery. The other spot is still up for grabs with projected starting forward Ajhania Smith (5-10) out with an injury as the Conqs will use plenty of players in its up-tempo system.

"We get up and down and are going to play pretty fast," Dodge City coach Mark James said. "We recruit guards who can get it and go and bigs that can get up and down the court and run the floor with them. ... I'm OK with quick shots, but I want quick, good shots. Sometimes we take some quick bad ones which isn't OK."

The Conqs have a plethora of guards coming off the bench in freshmen Dasia Johnson (5-5), Amber Espinosa (5-6), Brittany Leonard (5-6), Shelby Luerman (5-6) and Blair Johnson (5-7) as well as a pair of freshmen forwards in Kyra Fennell (5-10) and Alexus Johnson (5-9).

During the team's preseason and scrimmages, James said his team's defense has been OK but the Conqs have struggled grabbing key rebounds to start the break.

"Defensively we aren't bad - our shooting percentages are pretty low on the defensive side - but we aren't rebounding the ball real great right now and giving up some points we shouldn't," James said.

Following Tuesday's opener, the Conqs travel to Chicago to play Wright College and Daley College on Thursday and Friday before playing their home opener Nov. 11 against Sterling College.