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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 30, 2002
GAINESVILLE -- With a four-game win streak, including back-to-back victories over top 25 opponents, the women's basketball team faces No.2 Tennessee on Thursday playing, arguably, its best this season.
UF can thank LSU for that.
An 84-59 loss to the Tigers on Jan.10 helped lead to changes. "We were very embarrassed with the loss to LSU," sophomore center Vanessa Hayden said. "Coach got on us, and I think some reality set in. Now we are a lot more mature team, and we've finally got some chemistry going. We can make runs, and we can play with people.
"It was a turning point in the season. It was, "Do you want to be a losing team, or do you want to come together and play?' And we wanted to come together and play."
Victories over No.5 Vanderbilt and No.16 Georgia last week boosted their confidence, but coach Carol Ross said the Gators still aren't playing to their potential.
"We've got things we can do better, but it's great that we can experience some success," Ross said. "I think it also gives us plenty of motivation to continue to work hard to be the team we can be."
The No.12 Gators play Thursday in a place where they have never won: Thompson-Boling Arena.
"It's going to be a tough game, whether here in Gainesville or Thompson-Boling," said senior Monique Cardenas, who was named the SEC player of the week for last week. "We just need to go in there and play hard."
ON THE RIGHT TRACK: So exactly how do you know when you've taken a floundering basketball program and turned it into a contender?
Here's one way: Watch the fans of an established program such as Arkansas rush the floor after a victory over then No.4 Florida on Saturday.
Then, after back-to-back conference losses, listen to talk on campus about, "What's wrong with the Gators?"
To coach Billy Donovan, that's music to his ears.
"It's amazing the way the program has grown and developed," he said. "We're still ranked No.6. We have three losses, and we're 15-3. And people are walking around here like it's a train wreck. I think that's great.
"I think as sick as that may sound, as crazy as it may sound, I think that's good because that means there are expectations right now and that our guys should feel that. To me, that means your program is moving in the right direction."
GOLFERS HONORED: Former Gators Deb Richard and Page Dunlap-Halpin have been inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Player Hall of Fame. They join Suzanne Jackson and Cheryl Morley, in 1993 and 2000, respectively, as former Gators who have been inducted.
TIME CHANGE: Sunday's women's basketball home game against South Carolina will start at 2 p.m. The change allows the game to be televised on Sunshine and not conflict with the Super Bowl.
PLAY BALL!: The baseball team opens the season at noon Saturday against Charleston Southern. It will be the debut of coach Pat McMahon. The game will be televised on Sunshine.
- Antonya English covers Florida athletics. She can be reached at (813) 226-3389 or english@sptimes.com.