2000-2001 Freshman Year

2000-2001 SEASON

22-9

BIG WEST CONFERENCE 12-2

Big West Tournament 3-0

NCAA Tournament 0-1

Taylor Strikes Fear in Opponents

The Gaucho Ladies can hold their heads up for this season. It was a satisfying year for everyone in some way. The seniors should be proud how they held this team together to get as far as they did. Next year's team will be a bigger whopper-of-a-team, even with a still young cast. Lindsay had 12 points, 11 rebounds and one blocked shot against Purdue.

Tiny Ron

Taylor Impresses

I'm really proud of Lindsay Taylor. She did some things I wasn't sure she'd be able to do in a big game. She played well against Big West teams, but I wondered how she could do against a Final Four-caliber team. It shocked me how tough she was against Purdue. She was not at all intimidated. It gives me confidence UCSB will have a stabilizing post player the next three years.

Senior Nicole Greathouse

Taylor is Big Time Against Purdue

"This was the best game I had "EVER" seen her (Lindsay) play. She was so damn poised."

Bill Taylor

Future Looks Bright

Monday morning after a season-ending defeat -- it can be a tough time for a coach to go back to work. But three days after UCSB's exit from March Madness, Mark French felt a surge of gladness.

It was sunny and warm, heralding the imminent arrival of a lush spring at the seaside campus. And as French pulled his car into a parking lot, he saw Lindsay Taylor riding a bicycle with a smile on her face.

"You'd have to be much more of a moron than I am not to be excited about Lindsay," French said.

Taylor stood tall Friday night against the nation's ninth-ranked team in the NCAA women's basketball tournament. The 6-foot-8 freshman had a game-high 11 rebounds and scored 12 points in UCSB's 75-63 loss to Purdue.

"She looked like a senior in that game," French said. "To think she has three more years -- the possibilities are breathtaking."

The transformation of Taylor from a tentative rookie to a go-to player was one of the bright rays that broke through the clouds hanging over the Gaucho women early in the season. The team's troubles were well documented -- unforeseen circumstances draining their pool of guards, and two unexpected losses during the Big West season -- but the Gauchos pulled together to win their fifth straight conference championship and make another appearance in the NCAAs.

John Zant Newspress