Marching On

Take a glance at the bench before any UCO women's basketball game and what do you see? Head coach Guy Hardaker and assistant Bill Shaw busying themselves with last-minute game preparations. Nine players looking forward to the game, most looking relaxed and laughing.

But what else do you notice?

Well, there's the sweet-shooting Courtney Allen and do-everything Alyssa Fuxa, returning starters from last year's 22-10 team that made it to the Sweet 16. But they're not suited up. Neither is Tarrington Oakes, a key reserve at point guard last season.

Oh, and there's Kasey Tweed. Steady senior veteran, starter of the first nine games this season, but now in street clothes. And then you see Paiten Taylor, a potent inside force with her rebounding and scoring who started the first 12 games. Nope, she's not in uniform either.

And finally there's Britney Morgan. Started every game as a rookie last year and the first 19 games this winter at the point, running the UCO attack. She's in sweats, a bulky brace covering one knee.

Yep, that's six - seven counting Alex Richardson, who is also out - players sidelined by season-ending injury.

But what happened on this Saturday afternoon, when the Bronchos went against a Northeastern State team ranked sixth in the country with a 17-1 record and an 11-game winning streak? A UCO victory of course, 77-71 in overtime.

Never mind that five potential starters were on the bench. Forget that the Bronchos have had to constantly revamp their style of play, with players having to take on different roles than they're used to. Don't worry about freshmen being brought along slowly who all of a sudden are expected to play in crucial situations.

It's simply mind-boggling the amount of injuries the Bronchos have endured this year. It was bad last season, when Tweed, Taylor, Jill Bryan and Rachel New had to sit out, with Oakes going down midway through and Allen toward the end. But nothing like this season.

And still the Bronchos found a way to knock off the No. 6 team in the country. Amazing, to say the least. UCO is 13-8 with five games remaining, which I think is incredible, given what's happened this year.

Kudos to the Coach Hardaker and his staff for being positive, creating ways to stay competitive, not offering excuses. A big tip of the hat to Heather Davis and Savannah Hamilton and Jill Bryan and Rachel New and Autumn Huffman and Courtney Harper and Chelsea Robinson and Paige Locke and Chelsi Dennis, the players who come to the gym every day ready to work.

Those nine players know things would be different if their teammates were suited up with them. They know the record would be better, the playing time were be distributed differently, the roles they play on the court wouldn't be the same.

But that doesn't matter. They show up for the games and leave everything on the court, usually with a smile. And how cool is that?