THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 22, 1995 TAG: 9501190164
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
WHEN THE WOMEN'S college basketball season started in November, all Vanessa Taylor wanted was for her team to be respected.
Taylor, the new head women's basketball coach at Elizabeth City State University, was tired of the losing the program had endured for several years.
Taylor, and the rest of the Lady Vikings, have earned that respect, both at home and around the CIAA.
Wins over Virginia State and Livingstone early last week put the Lady Vikings over .500 and nearly doubled their win total from a year ago.
Oddly, the 1994-95 roster is nearly the same as the 1993-94 team.
The difference, say the players and Taylor, is a belief that the Lady Vikings can play with anyone in the league.
``We are never satisfied,'' said Taylor, a former assistant at Hampton University.
``We have nothing to lose. We just want to prove ECSU will be competitive every game we play.''
``The difference between this year's team and last year is our attitude. We're more motivated. We expect to win. Another difference is we get along better with the coach,'' said Karen Watkins, ECSU's leading scorer.
Watkins, a third-year player, said the respect goes both ways and was established early in the season.
``She let us know what to expect of her, and we let her know what we expect of her,'' Watkins said. ``We didn't want to go back to that tradition of losing.''
Watkins has done a lot on her own to move the team forward.
She is leading the Lady Vikings in scoring and had two sizzling games this past week.
ECSU had trouble with Livingstone, a 2-11 team coming into the contest, in the first half.
The Lady Vikings trailed 25-22 at the half with Watkins scoring just three points.
She exploded in the second half for 23 points and finished with a game-high 26 points and 21 rebounds as the Lady Vikings cruised to the 59-43 win.
In a 77-69 loss to a tough St. Augustine's club, Watkins poured in 23 points.
The senior forward said that another difference in this year's team is Taylor's emphasis on physical conditioning.
``She makes us run a lot,'' Watkins said as she rolled her eyes and smiled. ``But it's helped us. I know we're in shape because the guards can run the floor.
``Last year we were not a fast breaking team. We fast break a lot more this year.''
The conditioning was apparent in ECSU's 11-0 run to open the second half against Livingstone.
Last year's team often showed their frustration on the court and their heads often hung low.
A contrast is apparent with this team.
In the final minutes of their win over Livingston, the Lady Vikings were smiling and acknowledging the fact that they played hard and played well.
``That first win of the season gave us confidence,'' Watkins said.
``Even before the season started we knew with the personnel we had we could beat anyone.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Vaness Taylor
ECSU coach came from Hampton University
by CNB