Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Another game, another starting lineup for Isles

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Wednesday, January 3, 2001

Another game, another starting lineup for Isles
Hawkins gets doesn’t score, but gets first start of the season against Wyoming at shooting guard
By Matt Young
Caller-Times
LARAMIE, Wyo. - In what has become a tradition for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team, the Islanders displayed a another new starting lineup.
   In A&M-Corpus Christi's 72-70 loss to Wyoming on Tuesday, Islander coach Sheryl Estes gave ShaKayla Hawkins her first start of the season. Hawkins, normally the backup point guard, started at shooting guard.
   Estes has been switching starting lineups nearly every game trying to find a spark to get her team off to a better start. A&M-Corpus Christi has struggled at the beginning of games for most of the season.
   Hawkins didn't score a point, but for whatever reason, A&M-Corpus Christi got off to one of its better starts of the season. After 11 minutes against Wyoming, the Islanders had already scored 20 points. It took A&M-Corpus Christi almost the entire first half to reach 20 against Denver on Sunday.
   "I don't know if the different starting lineup had anything to do with us playing better at the beginning; I think it may have been a change in attitude," Estes said. "We finally attacked from the beginning instead of playing back on our heels."
   A NO PLACE LIKE HOME: A&M-Corpus Christi's Jessie Monlux, who grew up in nearby Gilette, Wyo., scored 10 points as she returned close to home.
   Monlux, whose family was in attendance, drilled two 3-pointers in the contest, and played key minutes down the stretch.
   "I think it was pretty obvious that Jessie Monlux was fired up to play this game against us," Wyoming coach Cindy Fisher said. "I'm sure she had a lot of motivation since she was playing so close to home. She was really a spark for them."
   A COMFY ENVIRONMENT: The University of Wyoming has a sparkling 10,600-seat arena on campus, but the women's team has opted for a smaller gym this season.
   While the Wyoming men's team is averaging almost 9,000 fans at Arena Auditorium, the women's team plays its home games at the Multi-Purpose Gym, which resembles a high school gym with bleachers on just one side of the court and seating for about 1,000 fans. The Cowgirls played in the vast Arena Auditorium the last two seasons, but their small crowds seemed even smaller in the large arena. The Cowgirls are averaging 385 fans a game this season. By contrast, A&M-Corpus Christi averages 1,180 fans for its home games.
   A HEAD GAMES: Playing at home always has its advantages, but Wyoming has an extra home-court advantage because of the high altitude.
   Teams not used to playing in a high altitude often get tired quicker than usual. Just in case any visitors to the Multi-Purpose Gym forget about the altitude, Wyoming has a friendly reminder. In the walkway from the visitors' lockerroom to the gym there's a sign that taunts: "Welcome to 7,220 feet. How's your oxygen?"




Staff writer Matt Young can be reached at 886-3702 or by e-mail at youngm@caller.com

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