2000-01 Season Review

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No one could have expected the season Long Island's women's basketball team enjoyed in 2000-01. No one outside the program... that is.

With three sophomores, a junior and a freshman in the starting lineup, many were skeptical on how the Blackbirds (16-15, 11-7 NEC) would fare this season. Despite finishing tied for third in 1999-2000 and advancing to the Northeast Conference semifinals, the league's coaches tabbed LIU to finish sixth this season.

However, as the starters jelled with each game and the reserves became more of a factor, the Blackbirds stormed to one of the best seasons in school history. The result under first-year coach Tony Bozzella was the team's first winning season in 21 years, the most victories in 24 campaigns, its first Northeast Conference title and its first trip to the NCAA Tournament.

But don't tell three of LIU's starters they are just sophomores. Certainly not guard Kim Mac Millan (Toms River, NJ) and forward Tamika Dudley (Woodbridge, VA), who have rewritten the record book and have placed themselves among the elite in the NEC.

Coming off her NEC Rookie-of-the-Year performance in 1999-2000, Mac Millan was named to the All-NEC preseason team and did not disappoint. She closed this season with 576 points, 18 shy of her own single-season school record, and broke her own LIU mark with 108 three-pointers.

One of the toughest athletes in the NEC and one of the most tenacious workers, Mac Millan led the league in scoring (18.6 ppg), 3-pointers and 3-point percentage (.371). She has connected from beyond the arc in 44 straight contests, nine shy of the NCAA Division I mark, and was named to the All-NEC and the All-Tournament team. Mac Millan already is the sixth all-time leading scorer in LIU history with 1,170 points.

Dudley powered her way through the paint all season, making her one of the league's most feared weapons. Never backing down from anyone, she averaged 16.2 points this season to make the All-NEC team and 19.3 ppg in the NEC Tournament to capture MVP honors.

Dudley posted seven straight double-doubles from January 25-February 12 and 11 this season. With one of the best moves in the paint, she shot 52 percent from the field and became the only Blackbird other than Mac Millan to score 500 points in one season (502).

Forward Nicki Winston (Edison, NJ) is one of the team's top defenders and is willing to give up her body, repeatedly taking charges no matter the price. Called the team's "fifth wheel" by Bozzella, Winston averaged 25 minutes per game and scored in double figures seven times this season.

Junior guard Angelika Stec (Stalowa, Poland) and freshman center Jessica Brookes (Ocean City, NJ) each enjoyed tremendous improvements in the starting lineup to help LIU get over the top.

Stec seemed to get better and better with each game, finding the open player and fearlessly driving to the basket at will. Her greatest moment came in the NEC Tournament, when she averaged 13.7 points and scored 21 in the final against Mount St. Mary's. Stec, a junior-college transfer who had never played point guard, was one of three Blackbirds on the All-Tournament team.

After missing five contests earlier this season, Brookes made January a month to remember as a true freshman. She averaged 13.0 points during that span and was named NEC Rookie of the Week twice. One of the league's rising stars, Brookes averaged 9.8 points this season and made the league's All-Rookie team.

Senior forward Mandy Myers (Moro, AR) and sophomore guards Kim Moro (Stratford, NJ) and Sonrisa Garcia (Sante Fe, NM) each provided valuable minutes off the bench titlehough it may not have been reflected in the boxscore. They each helped contribute late in the season as LIU made its charge towards history.

Seniors Venessa Harwood (Brooklyn, CT) and Nisreen Wright (Pemberton, NJ) and sophomores Kecia Rosado (Mount Holly, NJ) and Brandi Bennett (Lorain, OH) round out the roster. Senior Kim Fuqua (Harriman, TN) did not play following ACL surgery.

Seriously, when did one think this season would turn out as it did? Certainly not during a 1-5 start that included three double-digit losses and a heartbreaking double-overtime setback at Colgate. The silver lining during that stretch was a 94-67 pounding of Iona on November 29, when LIU nailed a school-record 12 three-pointers.

Maybe it was not until the new year, when the Blackbirds opened with victories over Central Connecticut State and Quinnipiac and moved to 3-0 in the NEC for the first time in school history. The league's leading scoring team all season, LIU had five players score in double figures against the Braves.

Perhaps one did not realize it until a 5-1 stretch following a three-game skid. The Blackbirds rolled to a pair of routs over UMBC and topped St. Francis (NY) in the "Battle of Brooklyn" as confidence grew with each game.

LIU closed that stretch with a preview of what was to come... victory over Mount St. Mary's. The Blackbirds raced to an 18-point first-half lead and snapped an 0-23 jinx against the Mountaineers with a shocking 87-65 pounding on February 5.

Maybe one did not believe until seven days later at home against Monmouth, arguably the turning point of the season. LIU, which had not won all season when trailing at halftime, was down nine at the break and by as much as 12. Despite losing the lead, Monmouth rallied to force overtime and was ahead for most of the extra session.

But on the night she became the 11th Blackbird to reach 1,000 career points, Mac Millan did not let her team down. Coming off a screen and displaying her unorthodox shooting style, Mac Millan buried a 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds left for an 85-84 lead. Dudley's backcourt steal in the waning seconds sealed the win.

Now LIU was on a roll. Mac Millan and Dudley had their streaks intact, the team won eight of 10 contests and sixth place was in the rearview mirror. There was nothing that could stop the team now. Right? Almost.

A two-game skid to close the regular season had all the cynics talking again and dropped the Blackbirds to a third seed for the NEC Tournament. But with a week to get ready and two tough outings behind it, LIU prepared for the greatest three-day stretch in its history.

Did one realize that this was the year when the Blackbirds opened a 21-point lead in the quarterfinals against Wagner as Mac Millan scored at least 20 points (25) for the sixth time in eight contests? Was it the next night, when Dudley poured in a career-best 31 points against Quinnipiac as LIU rallied from down 16 points for an 80-74 overtime victory?

No matter how many times one changed their opinion throughout the season, LIU could be called only one thing against Mount St. Mary's on March 5, 2001... Champions.

With four players scoring in double figures and destiny on their side, the Blackbirds posted a 70-61 victory to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. LIU held the lead since late in the first half and did not allow the Mount to make a serious charge.

In addition to Stec enjoying a phenomenal outing, Brookes closed with 14 points and a career-best 16 rebounds against a formidable frontcourt to continue LIU's dream season.

titlehough the campaign closed with a 101-29 loss to Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament, it did not diminish what the Blackbirds accomplished this season. From 2-24 and last in the RPI two seasons ago to conference champions, everyone associated with LIU knew they had just been a part of something special.

With all of the starters returning and seven new players joining the mix next season, the Blackbirds know the quest to better themselves and improve the program does not stop here.