JMU Has A Lot To Prove

Coach Brooks and the JMU women's basketball team have a lot to prove in this upcoming CAA Tournament. For one, they have to prove they are a tournament type team who can play well under pressure. Two, they have to perform well at the Show Place Arena. Last year, JMU played a poor first game verses Towson, but still won by 11 points. The next game was against Drexel, in what would become one of the worst games JMU has ever played in the modern game. It was that bad. So naturally we ended the season with a WNIT bid. Great for experience, but not the big dance. So this tournament has a lot to prove and a lot to avenge for the last two years.

Coach Brooks' NCAA tournament record the last couple of entries have been short-lived with his teams leaving in the first round. Granted those teams were mainly a one person team with descent support staff, but lets face facts, Coach Brooks needs to prove he can win in the NCAA tournament. We all loved watching the teams of the past , but each NCAA tournament ended with disappointment and underachievement. Obviously you cannot make your players play well and you cannot tell other teams to not guard your best player. This years team has potential, just like the teams in the past. They have shown they can play with bigger programs and win. But can they find the resolve, the mental fortitude to win in big stage games like the NCAA tournament?

What makes this team different than teams in the past is that this is truly a team and not a team with one, maybe two good players. This is a team that has 7 to 8 good players on it. The bench is deep and just about anyone can come off the bench and provide stout minutes. If this team gets into foul trouble early, then how they play is greatly affected and this was certainly proven with Charleston

I think the loss to Charleston was a blessing in disguise even though I hate losing. But in reality, several games before Charleston you could see the team drifting into a rut. So while a shock, this team proved in the next two games they are a foe to be feared.

The latest bracketology has JMU as a #9 seed playing in Knoxville verses Oregon State. If JMU wins that game, then they will play #1 Tennessee. Now that may seem like an impossible task and most teams will look at that bracket and automatically place JMU as a loss. And if past experience proves right, then they have justified their bracket decision on JMU.

What cannot be determined by bracketologist and by teams is the teams heart, the players zeal to win and while it may seem like Goliath, in reality it is just another team in the way of achieving something special. To think you have already lost, is to accept defeat and to accept defeat is giving up and personally I do not see the JMU women's basketball team laying down for anybody. This team can beat good teams, they can beat UCONN, TN, Standford, and so on.

This is a team with heart, with great leadership, and a team that loves to play defense. To believe you can achieve what most call the impossible, is to accept that you are better than what people are saying, that you can achieve great things and you are great!