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Bill Taylor Surf Report

2003-2004 UCSB Gauchos Women's Basketball
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10-19-03

Okay, so let’s all take a deep breath.  The beginning of the women’s basketball season is near. Practice has officially started for the players and coaches.  Expectations are running extraordinarily high for this team which returns four starters, last year’s “sixth man”, a defensive specialist, two Division I and a junior college transfer, two freshman and a track star turning her dedication to basketball.  Combined with the fact that this is the last year for “Lindsay Taylor at UCSB” fans; the last year of what seems like a long journey that has gone by in a wink of an eye. 

This upcoming year should not fool us into any kind of over-optimism.  Have you checked out the schedule?  It’s murderous.  It’s murderous because the schedule is loaded with teams that the UCSB Women could and should beat, as opposed to games against teams where  

 

their chances of success might be considered fantasy; for example a game against defending NCAA Champions Connecticut, or a Duke, Tennessee or Kansas State on the road. No, this schedule is loaded with potential and national credibility.  Beat Florida and Purdue on the road and you receive a huge national credibility lift.  Beat Arizona, Ohio State, Illinois and possibly Utah at home and you have made a statement about beating Major Conference teams.  Beat USC and Mississippi State and you have made it clear you can beat teams that are extremely athletic.  Unfortunately, the reverse is for once the UCSB Women might be considered a favorite to win all these games.  If they are truly a team of destiny, they certainly should.  But what is destiny but a lot of luck and lack of injuries.  No, everything could quite easily go the way of the Titanic; a deep and frozen demise.   But by following a true course, staying vigilant for obstacles and proceeding at “full steam ahead”, the season will make history in the annals of UCSB Women’s Basketball. 

So let’s all take a deep breath.  We need to take this season a game at a time.  Don’t overlook those teams that would not appear to present a danger.  Don’t over-psyche against those teams with big reputations and lofty rankings.  And enjoy what will be a memorable last season at UCSB for Lindsay Taylor. 

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E-mail: Questions and comments to billtaylor@abwag.com.

 

 

 

 

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