March 6, 2007
BARCA BLOG – LIFE ON THE ROAD – DAY FIVE
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEC TOURNAMENT
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Championship Edition
WE’RE GONNA WIN ……… WE’RE GONNA WIN!
Heading into the championship game, I wasn’t sure what to expect. You can tell a lot about a team based on its performance in big games. Our coaches and team have been in those situations before and succeeded, so that put me at ease. Plus, Vanderbilt defeated LSU two weeks prior in an emotion-filled contest on senior night at Memorial Gym. A repeat performance tonight would give the our seniors two SEC tournament titles on the corners of their Commodore careers, plus three titles in the last six years for the program. Dee Davis is pictured here in the hotel lobby about an hour and a half before game time.
Just like Dee in the picture above, Carla Thomas seemed to have a quiet confidence on the way to the arena. The “we have been here before” attitude was definitely on display.
Dee is pictured here trying to figure out where to put her bags. Why, you may ask? Well, I brought the most luggage on the team and left little space for things that really mattered. And yes, I am a prima donna.
The bus ride to the arena was very quiet for the most part. Images of that triangle trophy are running through my head.
When we arrived at the facility, the Spirit of Gold and Vanderbilt Cheer squad welcomed the team off the bus. Nice touch … gave me a “back home” feeling.
It didn’t take long for Caroline Williams to hit the floor for some pre-game shooting drills. You won’t find many players in the country with her work ethic. By the way, I loved the look of the playing court. I know it’s either a love or hate issue, but I think the simplicity of the design gave the court an old-school feel.
Some LSU fans arrived early as well. I took this shot while the song “Everybody Dance Now” was blaring over the speakers. Not sure what happened to C&C Music Factory though. Always thought they were the second coming of the Beatles… they must have had bad representation from higher management… can’t figure out any other reason for why they aren’t still on the charts. (okay, now that I think about it, the Beatles reference wasn’t fair … I was thinking more like the Rolling Stones)
Dee has that “senior” look we talked about the other day. My prediction: she will score 19 points, including a late lay-up to seal the title for the ‘Dores.
Old friends … Caroline Williams and Katie Antony catch up prior to Sunday’s contest.
ESPN 2 is televising the game live tonight… Mark Jones and Doris Burke (back to camera) will be calling the action. By the way, Mark was the sharpest dressed guy in the house. I can’t compete with that. Maybe I need to bring more luggage next time so I am better prepared for instances like this.
I wish that LSU would just roll over and give us the trophy. Somehow, I don’t think that’s gonna happen, especially after they have come up just short of the championship the previous two years.
Carla Thomas is familiar with the big stage.. afterall, she was the SEC Tournament MVP back in 2004 when the ‘Dores captured its last conference title.
“I want a good, clean fight … no rabbit punches … let’s get it on!”
Commodore fans were rowdy throughout the game, providing an extra lift for the team in a contest that saw plenty of lead changes.
I took this picture as the team came out of a timeout late in the game. What a performance by freshman Jessica Mooney in such a pressure situation. That was one of the great things about this tournament. Vanderbilt won each game in a different fashion and had several faces step up to the challenge each time.
If Coach Balcomb thinks the game is clinched, then I am sold. (Photo by Neil Brake)
More smiles before the final buzzer. (Photo by Neil Brake)
It’s all over- Vanderbilt 51 LSU 45…… SEC Tournament Champions! What a satisfying feeling. To see the joy on the faces of these kids is really special. This is something they will remember for the rest of their lives. I don’t know about you, but I had some chills down my spine during the final few moments when we knew the victory was secured. (Photo by Neil Brake)
One thing you have to love about this team is its unselfish play and team-first attitude across the board. One example is of floor general Dee Davis. The senior provided a huge offensive boost with a game-high 19 points, but after the game, one of the first things she noted was her lack of assists.
Oh yeah… SEC! SEC! SEC! (always a big fan of conference pride – hope to hear this chant during the NCAAs)
Dee Davis, Carla Thomas and Coach Balcomb talk to the media. I already mentioned Dee’s big game, but what about Carla coming through in the clutch as well. She won the second tourney MVP of her career after another solid weekend outing.
I think Coach said it best when asked about her seniors:
Question: Could you put into words as a coach how meaningful it is to you to watch them be able to win this championship on their way out?
COACH BALCOMB: It’s awesome. That’s why I coach, to see them be happy, accomplish this. They’ve been through a lot and they’ve worked really hard for it. I’m so happy for them.
Amen, Coach.
Well, it was one heck of a trip. I’d like to thank the coaches, players and staff for allowing me to cover this experience. Also, I really enjoyed reading emails from some of our fans in response to these blogs. (Photo by Neil Brake)
I have to say – one cool thing was listening to the players and coaches talking about all of the phone calls and text messages they had received after the game from not only family and friends, but from fellow coaches and student-athletes. It’s not only great to have success, but also to be able to have someone you can share it with.
In closing, on the bus ride home, everyone watched the movie A League of Their Own. Back on day two, the ‘Dores participated in a little movie quote game on the bus ride after practice. It was only fitting that one of the questions on that day was what movie did “We’re gonna win!” come from?
Answer: A League of Their Own.
That’s right….. “We’re gonna win!” That was the attitude of the team on this trip. And they did.
Brandon Barca is the online director for VUcommodores.com. Send him your thoughts at brandon.barca@vanderbilt.edu.