Guns Up!
02-14-2003, 01:54 PM
From the Fort-Worth Star Telegram:
Milestone victory is at hand for Tech's Sharp
At a time when only a few programs dominated women's college basketball, Marsha Sharp slowly but surely made a name for herself and brought the national spotlight to Texas Tech.
On Saturday, the former small-town girl from Tulia who received her advanced hoops degree mostly on the bench with the legendary Wayland Baptist Flying Queens will attempt to join a small legion of coaches who have achieved distinguished career plateaus this season.
Sharp's seventh-ranked Lady Raiders can present her with her 500th victory -- all at Tech -- when they play at Baylor on Saturday night.
"Marsha has done a great deal for our sport and women's basketball in this state," said Texas coach Jody Conradt, who might have gotten to her 800th win a little sooner if not for the emergence of Sharp's program -- against whom she notched it.
"I know she made my job a lot harder."
Typically, Sharp says the milestone is meaningful only for its significance to others.
"I don't know that I ever think about those things," she said. "Compared to what Bob [Knight] and Jody and Pat [Summitt] have done getting to 800, it doesn't seem like such an awesome thing.
"At the same time, I don't want to discount that milestone because so many people have been involved in it. ... all the players, the assistant coaches and people in our administration have been a big part of that. Some of our fans have watched every single game we've played in Lubbock, and that's special to me.
"And what is really special is that all 500 will have come here at Tech."
Sharp burst on the scene in 1983 when Conradt's teams not only ruled the Southwest Conference but were one of the premier programs across the country. After years of playing second or third fiddle to Texas, the Lady Raiders broke through with their first SWC title in '92, the year before winning the NCAA championship with Sheryl Swoopes, one of the greatest women's players ever.
Tech is in contention for a share of a fourth Big 12 title.
Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson will do everything in her power to prevent Sharp from getting 500 at the Ferrell Center, but that has little to do with the respect she has for the Hall of Famer.
"Marsha is a legend to lot of us young coaches," Mulkey-Robertson said. "She is someone I aspire to have a program like some day."
Milestone victory is at hand for Tech's Sharp
At a time when only a few programs dominated women's college basketball, Marsha Sharp slowly but surely made a name for herself and brought the national spotlight to Texas Tech.
On Saturday, the former small-town girl from Tulia who received her advanced hoops degree mostly on the bench with the legendary Wayland Baptist Flying Queens will attempt to join a small legion of coaches who have achieved distinguished career plateaus this season.
Sharp's seventh-ranked Lady Raiders can present her with her 500th victory -- all at Tech -- when they play at Baylor on Saturday night.
"Marsha has done a great deal for our sport and women's basketball in this state," said Texas coach Jody Conradt, who might have gotten to her 800th win a little sooner if not for the emergence of Sharp's program -- against whom she notched it.
"I know she made my job a lot harder."
Typically, Sharp says the milestone is meaningful only for its significance to others.
"I don't know that I ever think about those things," she said. "Compared to what Bob [Knight] and Jody and Pat [Summitt] have done getting to 800, it doesn't seem like such an awesome thing.
"At the same time, I don't want to discount that milestone because so many people have been involved in it. ... all the players, the assistant coaches and people in our administration have been a big part of that. Some of our fans have watched every single game we've played in Lubbock, and that's special to me.
"And what is really special is that all 500 will have come here at Tech."
Sharp burst on the scene in 1983 when Conradt's teams not only ruled the Southwest Conference but were one of the premier programs across the country. After years of playing second or third fiddle to Texas, the Lady Raiders broke through with their first SWC title in '92, the year before winning the NCAA championship with Sheryl Swoopes, one of the greatest women's players ever.
Tech is in contention for a share of a fourth Big 12 title.
Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson will do everything in her power to prevent Sharp from getting 500 at the Ferrell Center, but that has little to do with the respect she has for the Hall of Famer.
"Marsha is a legend to lot of us young coaches," Mulkey-Robertson said. "She is someone I aspire to have a program like some day."