TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

As the Mid-American Conference regular season comes to an end, how important is it for your team to finish on a positive note?
Obviously, it is a primary goal of ours to host a first-round game in the MAC Tournament. We need to keep winning to do that. The remainder of our regular-season games are against teams we have already faced this season. That means we need to play even better the second time around to beat those teams.

Looking back, how significant was the comeback victory over Western Michigan a couple of weeks ago?
Beating Western Michigan was big for us because they are at the top of the conference. To come back like we did and to never give up shows what type of character this team has. It also showed how much we have improved throughout the season.

All season long, you have been amongst the MAC leaders in team defense. Talk about why that is and how much pride you take in playing solid defense.
Coach Dozier focuses on that aspect of the game during practice. Because we have had some difficulty scoring, doing that in practice helps us better prepare our offense. But that obviously makes us a better defensive team, as well. Since defense comes down to heart and desire, it should be there for us in every game.

How well did the non-conference schedule prepare you for MAC play?
We started out that portion of our schedule with a 7-1 record. So, it helped a lot in the sense that it gave us confidence. At that point in the season, we weren’t counting on just one scorer. I think that only now we are starting to get back to that point – everybody is scoring and contributing in some way.

You mentioned earning a first-round home date in the MAC Tournament. How often do you look at the conference standings?
Coach Dozier will usually keep us up-to-date as far as who is where in the conference. Personally, I don’t pay too much attention to it. Having grown up in Michigan, I have a sense for who the better teams are within the conference, but primarily I just focus on our team and what we need to do.

What has helped you out the most during your freshman season?
As a freshman, Coach Dozier emphasized to me that this season was going to be like a roller coaster – full of ups and downs. Lately, I feel like I have played more effectively. A lot of that comes because the upperclassmen – like Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe, Roslyn Dominico, Rachel Martin and Jessica Kochendorfer – have emphasized that I need to stay positive. They tell me that I’m going to make mistakes, but that it’s all right as long as I learn from them and don’t continue to make them.

How would you assess your play this season?
Lately, I’ve let things come to me instead of trying to force them. Being hurt at the beginning of the season didn’t help at all, but I finally feel like I’m back in playing shape. I definitely feel much more comfortable on both ends of the floor at this point in the season.

Being from Michigan, what is it like to have family and friends at a handful of your road contests?
Coming to Buffalo meant being a little ways away from where I grew up. So, getting to play two or three games back in Michigan means a lot. My parents can come to a lot of games. When we just played at Central Michigan, I had a group of people going because it was only about a half-hour away from my home. Next season, games at Bowling Green and Toledo will also be close to where I grew up.

Discuss your decision to come to UB and what the major factors were.
I felt very comfortable with the coaching staff. On my official visit, I really enjoyed my time with the team. I felt like I would be a good fit here in Buffalo.

What has been the biggest difference between high school and college basketball?
It definitely has been the change in intensity. Everyday at the college level, there is someone in your face defensively – no one takes a break on any play. The practices are much harder – there is just a non-stop intensity.

-The ‘10 Questions with…’ feature is compiled by Geoff Nason.