Women's Basketball
Buckeyes Hope to Avoid Yet Another Early Out in NCAA Tournament
By John Porentas

The Ohio State Women's basketball team has been tabbed as a six-seed in the NCAA tournament. The Buckeyes will open tournament play in Des Moines, Iowa, against eleven-seed Florida State in a game scheduled for approximately 10:30 PM on Saturday, March 22. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and can be heard on WOSU radio (820 AM).

**Members of the OSU women's basketball team watch the NCAA selection show at the home of OSU Head Coach Jim Foster**
Photo by Jim Davidson

Over the past four seasons the Buckeyes have won the Big Ten regular-season championship only to flop at tournament time. OSU has not made it out of the second round of NCAA play over that period and last year was bounced in the first round by upstart Marist. The early outs in NCAA play have put a blemish on a four-year period that has been marked by a lot of winning throughout the year but not much at the end of the season.

"To be recognized as one of the big powerhouses in women's college basketball you've got to do well in the NCAA tournament. That's where it matters and we haven't done that in the past," said senior guard Marscilla Packer.

OSU did not start this year's tournament season auspiciously. Despite being the number-one seed they were bounced from the Big Ten tournament in their first game for yet another tournament early-out.

Ashlee Trebilcock
Photo by Jim Davidson

"We know what the story has been," said guard Ashlee Trebilcock.

"We've already had a little taste of one-and-done in the Big Ten tournament and that was really disappointing. We don't want to do that again when you could be done for the year," Trebilcock said.

OSU's tournament woes are hard to explain, but there is no doubt that some of the issues have arisen because of late-season injuries. Last year the loss of Brandy Hoskins in the last regular-season game cost them dearly. This year two main cogs in the OSU backcourt finished the season in sub par health. Starting point guard and Big Ten defensive player of the year Shavelle Little and shooting guard Ashlee Trebilcock both were ailing in the late season and going into the Big Ten tournament.

"We were really banged up at the end of the season. Shavelle was really playing on one leg for about five or six weeks," said OSU Head Coach Jim Foster.

OSU's early ouster from the Big Ten tournament may have been a hidden blessing. The Buckeyes returned to Columbus after just one game in Indianapolis, and that allowed Little and Trebilcock to rest and rehab. Little, who has had a knee problem, says the time off has done wonders for her.

"I'm getting a lot healthier. Last week I felt better than I've felt in a long time, in the last two months I'd say," said Little.

"I rested it and last week I noticed a big change in what I can do on the court. What I can give is so much more than what I've given in the last two months."

Trebilcock has been bothered with a back issue. She too has taken some time off after really struggling through the end of the season.

"Everybody so far has said that's its muscular because I've done different tests and it doesn't show up in my bones or anything.

"It just seems like a weak core issue and it just spasms.

"After the Indiana game I was having a tough time just walking. It was bad, very bad. Bending over and picking things up is tough. It gets a little better with days off and rest," Trebilcock said.

Trebilcock has rested her back as much as possible while trying to keep her basketball skills sharp.

"I've rested a little bit off and on in practice not doing every drill," she said.

"This week I'll probably do full practice.

"It's tournament time. It doesn't really matter what's wrong with you. Unless you're on your death bed you have to play."

Trebilcock will be closer to healthy than she has been in a long time as NCAA play begins, and Little will be much, much healthier, a stark contrast to last season when OSU was really troubled by injury as the tournament season began. Additionally, forward Star Allen has been declared academically eligible after sitting out the Big Ten season with grade problems. Foster says she will definitely play in the NCAA tournament.

"Star has practiced with us every day and has done extra work and extra conditioning. She's done a terrific job academically, really pushed herself," said Foster.

"Star was able to practice with us. She seems to be in game-ready shape," added Packer.

"She can come in and do what she does best. She's not the typical four. She can handle the ball a little bit, step out and shoot jumpers, she adds a whole other dimension to our offense."

Packer, who has been at OSU for four regular-season Big Ten championships and for four years of post-season disappointment hopes to change that trend.

"It's our last time and we want to go out the right way, and that's winning," Packer said. "Everyone is really ready for the opportunity."

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