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Date Posted: 09:56:43 03/12/02 Tue
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: Women's Team reaching the next level?

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Originally Published Tuesday, March 12, 2002
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Reaching next level difficult

By Bob Highfill

Record Staff Writer

The University of the Pacific women's basketball team raised its level of success again this season under fourth-year head coach Sherri Murrell.

The Tigers continued to progress by advancing to the Big West Conference Tournament final for the first time in seven years. They recorded their most wins overall since 1994-95 and their best conference record (12-4) in school history.

Pacific's 64-53 loss to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday in Anaheim was disappointing. The Tigers haven't slayed Goliath since 1996 but came close again only to falter down the stretch. They hoped an NIT berth would be granted Sunday. It wasn't.

For all its success, being snubbed and other aspects of the season proved quite frustrating.

''You always want to get to that next level,'' Tigers senior guard Selena Ho said. ''We just couldn't get over that hump of beating Santa Barbara, but we did go farther than we ever have.''

The Tigers (19-11) left some victories on the court, especially in the preseason and in conference play at UC Riverside and Long Beach State. Had Pacific managed to reverse those losses, it might be preparing for the postseason.

Instead, the Tigers can do little but reflect on a good season.

Ho completed a remarkable career. She became the third player in school history to earn consecutive first-team All-Big West honors and has the most 3-pointers in conference and school history -- 267. She ranks 24th on the NCAA's career list for 3-pointers, is the third Pacific player to record 400 career assists and is 16th on the Big West's career points list with 1,627. Ho was named Big West player of the week a school-record six times.

Senior guard Dolinda Meeker finished her career doing what she does best -- playing defense. She shut down the opponent's top guard in three conference tournament games, just as she did during her entire career. She tied her career high with 10 rebounds against UC Riverside and held its leading scorer, Amy Houchens, to four points on 1-of-13 shooting in the tournament semifinals.

Sophomores Gillian d'Hondt and Nancy Dinges were much improved, and both received all-tournament accolades. d'Hondt was the only underclassman named to the first team, and Dinges earned honorable mention and sixth man of the year honors.

d'Hondt averaged 14 points and more than six rebounds per game in the tournament and 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds overall. Dinges was second to Ho in 3-pointers with 85, the second-most in a season in school history.

Junior Vanessa Dupont, sophomore Andrea Nederostek, sophomore center Alicia Smith and senior Jakehima Mercier showed tremendous improvement. Dupont was a force coming off the bench, Nederostek became a starter, Smith had a great showing at the Big West Tournament, and Mercier had some big games.

The Tigers beat Utah, challenged Rutgers, won at Gonzaga and beat Long Beach State for the second time since 1998.

''It was a great season and a tough ending, but we did something we had never done,'' Murrell said. ''Nineteen wins is not an easy thing to do. I thought we maintained our level of play throughout the year.''

* To reach reporter Bob Highfill, phone 546-8299 or e-mail bhighfil@recordnet.com

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