Anyone who knows me knows that I am a basketball fanatic. While my friends traveled to San Francisco, Las Vegas and London over Spring Break, my plans involved a couch, a remote control and ESPN.
With the basketball gods ingeniously scheduling Spring Break amidst March Madness, I spent the week glued to the television for the first- and second-round men's and women's NCAA Tournament games.
Knowing this about me, you might think I must have basketball in my blood. After all, how often do you run across a female, 20-year-old, self-proclaimed constitutional law geek who quickly pushes past the front page news to grab the sports section out of the morning paper? But it's not in my blood.
I fully admit that as an NCAA basketball fanatic, I'm only a rookie. Consider that last year I couldn't have told you the difference between the Pac-10 and the NCAA tournaments.
So what ignited my swift transformation into a basketball junkie? The answer is Charli Turner Thorne and her Sun Devil women's basketball team. I signed up for the pep band that plays at the basketball games last spring because it seemed like a great excuse to hang out with my friends twice a week. But as I watched the Lady Devils take the court, I was quickly mesmerized by their relentless defense, team-oriented offense and their desire to succeed.
You can see in the eyes of the players and in the eyes of coach Turner Thorne that this is a team that is hungry to be the best.
The Sun Devils are responsible for my basketball addiction, so I'd like to take the time to thank them for it and for the great season they played this year.
After Monday night's loss to fifth-seeded Utah in the second round of the NCAA tournament, there is no question that some will be disheartened that the Lady Devils will not make back-to-back appearances in the Sweet Sixteen.
But after the freshness of that disappointment fades away, the focus will rightfully return to the record-breaking successes that this year's team was able to accomplish.
In the first half of the season, ASU tied the school record for most consecutive wins with a nine-game winning streak. In the second half of the season they beat their own record by winning another 10 straight.
This year's team, led by seniors Amy Denson, Kristen Kovesdy and YoVanna Rosenthal, appeared in the Top 10 of the national rankings for the first time in 22 years while also tying the highest ranking in school history at No. 9.
After a stretch of tough road losses to the California Pac-10 schools, the Devils were motivated to finish the conference schedule on a better note. When coach Turner Thorne boldly predicted that the team would "go 9-0" in the second half of Pac-10 play, some people scoffed. But the team made their coach look like a prophet by going 10-0 before falling in the Pac-10 Tournament by one point to UCLA.
Any disappointment the players might feel should be converted into fuel for the desire to be even more dominating on the court next season, because Turner Thorne's program is on the rise.
A special thanks to the seniors for the years of dedication and talent they brought to the team --you have worn the maroon and gold well and your fans will sorely miss watching you play. Coach Turner Thorne, I can't wait to see what your team will bring to the court next season, and the only disappointment I have is that we all have to wait until November to watch some more amazing Sun Devil basketball.
Laura Thorson promises not to write about basketball again -- at least until November. Reach her at laura.thorson@asu.edu.
