My wise father once said, "If you keep winning you will become National Champions." I haven't been able to accomplish that feat yet, but I will say our 2011-2012 team had many successes along the way and a lot to be proud of.
Let's start with our pre season:
7-5, undeafeated at home, and only gained five pounds from the All You Can Eat Crab Leg Feast at the Colorado Thanksgiving Tournament.
Our returners Katie and Rachel led our charge, Ashley and Chelsea stepped into scoring roles from last year's injuries, and incoming freshmen Jackie and Kalli showed sparks of great potential.
Conference:
The most competitive conference race of my seven years. Nearly every game ending in single digit spreads helped me lose the five pounds I gained in the preseason.
I am so proud of the identity our team maintained throughout the year, perseverance!
Not quite getting comfortable with leads, we found ourselves losing a heartbreaker at home to ISU at the buzzer. Who knew we would be better coming from behind for the win at their place, thanks to Katie Bussey's thrilling 41 point performance to tie the Big Sky Single Game Scoring record.
Our regular season concluded with a dazzling shooting display by our entire team with 12 made 3 pointers. If only we would have shot that well at our place so we could have gotten the free Chalupas at Taco Bell. Never enough from a coaching perspective is it.
Post Season. This is what you play for! We opened up with our favorite rival, the Lady Griz. Our tenacious defense jumped on the Griz early and rode that momentum into the semi-finals. The game capped one of our most complete games of putting offense and defense together on the same night. It sounds so simple doesn't it?
We finished off our year a little short coming into the next round against a tenacious team, and once again another Bear. UNC kept the Bobcats cold that night, but the future looks hot for the Cats.
I want to congratulate Katie on another Big Sky record, most 3 pointers in a career with 254. Just imagine how many she has shot over the years! Katie was a 1st Team All Conference player and has an invitation to the Final Four Combine next week. We want to wish her the best in her professional career.
To the returners, led by senior and 2nd Team All Conference player, Rachel Semansky, we have a lot to be excited about. We will compete every day, hold the bar high for every teammate, and do it for each other.
To our newcomers, you have had unbelievable high school careers. It is time to retire your old jerseys and put on the Blue and Gold. The 2012-2013 season begins TODAY.
Coach Bin
