Troy University Athletics
Women's Basketball: Catching Up
2/3/2009 6:00:00 AM | Basketball (W)
With the season winding down, it is time to do a little catching up on the women's basketball scene here at Troy. The season has been full of excitement with a few letdowns along the way; the team has come from behind in big games but also given up the lead late in some other games.
NOTE TO ALL READERS: This blog will be a little lengthy, if you need to get up and stretch, this is your last moment to do so for the next five minutes. Make sure to have plenty to drink and snacks available while reading this blog, as you become hungry due to the time it will take to read.
ON A SERIOUS NOTE: This blog is a little lengthy, but it covers the season as a whole. Hope you enjoy an inside look at the 2008-09 women's basketball season.
This season, the Trojans have seen it all - from 90 degree weather, to 30 with gusty winds, to ice and snow on the ground in Texas. And through it all, they have found a way to keep themselves in the hunt for a home Sun Belt Conference tournament game, just one game out of the eighth spot in the standings.
We have witnessed a five-game winning streak that brought the Trojans over the .500 mark in the conference, but we have also witnessed a four-game losing streak that brought the Trojans back down to the ninth spot in the conference just one week after the winning streak. Several records look to be within reach for individual players before the season is out; including senior Kylie Morrissy who has scored over 1,300 points, grabbed over 500 rebounds, dished out over 200 assists and recorded over 100 steals in her three-plus seasons at Troy. Senior Larelle Roper is closing in on the Sun Belt Conference all-time Top 25 in assists, needing just nine entering Wednesday night to tie for 25th. Both of those players, along with senior Danielle Realph will suit up and play in their 109th consecutive game Wednesday night against Arkansas State.
Now to the season that has been.
Troy opened the season, as always, against a power conference team - this season it was Georgia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Yellow Jackets were the first NCAA Tournament that the Trojans would face this season, as they fell 73-49; but not before a pair of seniors approached career-highs on the night when Brittnie Davis and Roper scored 10 points each.
After a week off, the Trojans jumped right back on the bus and headed for Clarksville, Tennessee and the Lady Govs of Austin Peay. The Trojans won their first road game of the season, and headed back home to take home longtime rival Jacksonville State University. The Trojans, playing in their first home game of the season, did not disappoint as they defeated the Gamecocks 59-56 to improve to 2-1 on the season.
The following weekend brought a welcomed change as the Trojans traveled north to Chattanooga and their first "cold weather" game of the season as they played in the Doubletree Classic on the campus of UT-Chattanooga. After missing the first three games due to the birth of my daughter, it was my first chance to get a look at the Trojans on the floor as they played against one of the best in the Atlantic-10, Richmond. Although the Trojans fell to Richmond 53-48, they played their hearts out and sophomore Donette McNair rolled up her third consecutive double-double on the season. The tournament ended abruptly for Troy however, as they were knocked off by Akron to fall to 2-3 on the season. McNair was named to the All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the tournament.
After a loss to Kennesaw State at home dropped Troy to 2-4, the Trojans recorded the most points for a Michael Murphy-coached team in a 93-45 victory over Spring Hill College. The Trojans just couldn't miss on that day, and it was one of those days where as a staff member you had to worry if the girls were looking ahead to their trip to the nation's capital. But they weren't and it showed on the floor as they shot 66.7 percent from the floor and Morrissy led the way with 25 points in just 24 minutes of action. After the game, the team loaded up on two vans for the long journey to Atlanta for an early mornign flight to Washington, DC.
If you have ever flown to DC, you know what I am about to warn the others about. If you have never flown to DC, be prepared when you enter the airspace and start your approach, you will be following the Potomac all the way to the runway. And yes, I mean following every little zig and every little zag along the way. After the swervy landing, the week was full of excitement as we knew we would be touring the sites. We visited the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, toured the U.S. Capital, walked the streets and looked at the sites, took pictures of the White House and just soaked in the whole experience.
The one memory that will always stick in my mind was the three hours we took to visit the Holocaust Museum. The pictures and the words that were there will always be in my memory and was one of the most somber moments I have ever been a part of.
After all the touring, the Trojans took the second tournament team they faced this season, George Washington, down to the wire. We were winning late in the contest, but GW was able to find a way to come back and deny the girls a hard-fought and well-deserved victory. Although the girls played hard, the one thing that will stick in my mind from that game was at the end of the game in the post game press conference when head coach Michael Murphy said,"We played hard, but we don't believe in moral victories."
And just 12 days later, after suffering two conference losses to two tournament teams (Middle Tennessee and WKU), the Trojans showed they do not believe in moral victories - coming back from the Christmas break with a renewed vigor about themselves.
With the weather everywhere either raining or cold, the Trojans found a spot in south Texas that was warm - warm as in 90 degrees warm and as close to the Mexican border as you can get.
The Trojans headed south to Brownsville, Texas and a chance to play in the Battle at the Border Classic, a tournament in which they came back with the championship trophy. A few bumps along the way occured however, and not on the basketball court. Our training staff decided to watch a late night movie at the theater located next to the hotel. On their way back, they were stopped by a local police officer because they were in a bank parking lot walking. Not sure what the conversation was like between the trio, but all I can say is I had nothing to do with them being stopped - as I later had to prove. Assistant coach Craig Kennedy decided, on our last day there, to go to the Rio Grande and take pictures. Only thing is I don't think he knew he had to basically drive through everything (excluding the road) to get close enough to take pictures. He did say, however, that he was followed by the Border Patrol for a ways as he was getting close to the border - in a MINI-VAN.
The tournamen jump started the five-game winning streak that included three wins at home in conference play to push the Trojans to 3-2 in conference play to start the season.
The streak was snapped however at South Alabama on January 14, when the Trojans fell in the final moments 68-60 to the Lady Jags. The trip down was an experience as we found an eating establishment in Evergreen - Black Angus - that opened two hours early for us and specially prepared our meal for us. We also got to kick back and watch the ladies play a game in which they would give clues to each other to figure out what the word was - and still to this day I have no idea how they heard each other giving clues with all the noise each team was making. We also got to see an old friend, Jimmy Kolatis, who is now an assistant softball coach at South Alabama.
After making the journey back to Troy, we board another bus to Monroe for a television appearance on CSS against ULM. The experience was not one I want to remember, as we fell 70-42 to the Warahwks. The losing streak continued at home against New Orleans and on the road against UALR, before possibly, the best women's college basketball game I have seen in person.
I had the privilege of calling all the action as the Trojans took on North Texas in the ice in Denton last Wednesday night. The Trojans were down by as many as 13 in the first half before storming back to take a halftime lead courtesy of the bench. They were able to build that lead to as many as 11 in the second half, before North Texas was able to tie the game at 70-all with just 7.6 seconds remaining. The game went into overtime, and the Trojans were able to escape with a hard-fought 80-78 victory; their first-ever victory at The Super Pit.
The Trojans are preparing for the game against Arkansas State that takes place tomorrow night and be heard on WTBF-94.7 FM with Buddy Johnson and Jerry Miller bringing you all of the play-by-play action. After last Wednesday night's game, we have decided to carry as many road games on the air as possible, and we will have the game Saturday against Florida Atlantic in Boca Ration aired on WTBF-94.7 FM with yours truly bringing you the play-by-play.
If you have not had a chance to come out and see the ladies play, come pack the house tomorrow night and root them onto victory. The men are on a roll, and the women have a chance to do the same thing in their final seven games of the season.
A few notes about upcoming action for the ladies, on Wednesday, February 11, the Trojans will host Middle Tennessee in the annual "WBCA Pink Zone" initiative. We are asking all fans to wear pink to bring about awareness for Breast Cancer, and will be taking up donations at the door to give to the local chapter to help fund a cure. Then on Saturday, February 14, as part of a doubleheader with the men, the Trojans will host a "Cardinal Out" for Valentine's Day. We ask you to wear cardinal and support both teams, as the women will celebrate Senior Day at 5:00 on that day.
On Friday and/or Saturday, I will break down the travel and a typical day in the life of a collegiate basketball player on the road. Until then, be safe and have a good day!!
BE LOUD, BE PROUD, GO TROJANS!!
TJ
