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has anyone had the opportunity to head over to the Farris Center to check out either the men or women during practice or pick up games so far this fall? Or are they even doing anything like that? I know at the D1 schools, women are getting to practice with coaches around and just curious if our Sugar Bears are doing the same.

I went and saw the sugarbears running their mile the other day!

At the HSU game I talked to Sugar Bear assisstant Jeremy Carson and I was told that they are allowed to run and lift weights 8 hours a week, and that they do play some pickup games in the Farris Center but the coaches cannot be present for those. I did some checking around and found out that they usually play on wednesday afternoons so I think I am going to make it a point to go check them out this coming week. From the talk I gathered that the coaching staff thinks very highly of this team and has serious thought of cutting down a few more nets at the end of this season.

Yeah, the Sugar Bears are going to be awesome. I can't say for certain they'll be better than last year's team because you're faced with the prospect of replacing arguably the best women's basketball player in school history (it's either her or Checola. Take your pick.) plus a deadly shooter in Traci Graham plus a unique inside-out threat who can play three positions and D up on a number of positions in Micaela Thomas. That's the heart and soul of the team right there.

However, one of the best players in DII in the nation returns in Caronica Randle and the most exciting player ever Renita Dobbins will be back, so long as she doesn't screw up and go get suspended anymore, God love her. Richards got better as the season went on, and Oden is a solid inside presence.

Throw all that in with the incoming recruits (including the chick they think will be "the next Carone" and then some gargantuan beast) and they're going to be dominant still. I can't wait.

Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine any female happy about being known as a gargantuan beast!

Losing those players you mentioned are what worries me about this year as well. But if the coaches guessed right on their recruits and what they have told you is true, it sounds like more good things.

I know they may not be happy about it but there was a player last year on the HSU team that I would classify as a "gargantuan beast!"

HSU had a few of those Gheorghe Muresan type women.

That's her! Poor Traci didn't stand a chance!

Hey look its BIG COUNTRY!! Thats was definatly a mis-match

Well as I said I was going to do I went and caught some of a pickup game yesterday at the Farris center, and I liked what I saw. I now know why the coaches think so highly of this team. The potential is definitely there. I havent learned any of the new names yet, so I cant give specifics about any players but I saw alot of offense. I saw some improvements in several of the girls who are returning from last seasons squad, it looked like falling one game short just motivated them that much more to get better. As for you who are worried about replacing the big 3 we lost(Graham, Harris, and Thomas), one of the transfers looks like she can really shoot the rock she drained atleast 5 or 6 from downtown in the few minutes I got to see. There were a couple of other girls who also looked like they can burn the nets as well, but they can handle and distribute the ball even better. As long as we stay healthy and use some of our energy and quickness to play a little D with the high powered O we look to have everybody at UCA should be proud to have this team represent them. GO SUGARBEARS