Seems Like Good Old Days to Them
It was the only birthday Sabrina Roberson hasn’t celebrated.
Roberson, then a freshman guard for UC Irvine, turned 19 that day in 1995, but was too busy to blow out candles. The Anteaters, Big West tournament champions that year, were playing Stanford in the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
“I remember thinking, ‘Maybe we can win this,’ ” said Roberson, now a senior. “It was exciting. We came out ready to fight and the first six minutes went back and forth.”
In the end, it was Stanford who went forth, with an 88-55 victory.
Still, it was far from a depressing birthday for Roberson.
Roberson, forward Leticia Oseguera and Coach Mark Adams each arrived at Irvine that season and each played supporting roles. Roberson and Oseguera were key reserves and Adams was an assistant coach.
Their duties have increased significantly since and they will try to lead the Anteaters to another Big West Conference tournament championship and a return to the NCAA tournament.
“It would be nice to send ‘Tish and Sabrina out on the same note,” said Adams, now Irvine’s head coach.
It won’t be easy. UC Santa Barbara (23-5, 14-1 in conference) is the favorite to repeat as champion in the conference tournament, which begins today at Lawlor Events Center in Reno. The Gauchos beat Irvine in the tournament final a year ago. The Anteaters (16-10) have won nine of 11 games heading into the tournament, but both losses were to Santa Barbara.
Irvine may only get limited playing time from sophomore point guard Megan Stafford, who has a stress reaction in her left foot. She is fifth in school history in assists.
Still, the Anteaters, who open the tournament today against Idaho, are three victories from returning to the NCAA tournament.
“This is my last chance to get back,” Oseguera said. “It’s now or never for me. I told the team last year that you just don’t know how great it is until you’ve been there.”
Oseguera, a 6-foot senior, was a reserve forward on that Irvine team. She averaged 5.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. She is the school’s career leader in rebounds and is second in points.
This season, after missing the first five games because of a broken hand, she is averaging 14.2 points and 12 rebounds, fifth-best in the nation. Oseguera, who is a second-team District VIII Academic All-American, is a certain all-conference pick and a candidate for player of the year honors.
Her brightest memory, though, was as a freshman.
Irvine was picked to finish ninth in 1994-95, but ended the regular season with a 16-10 record. The Anteaters beat Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton and Pacific in the conference tournament. They finished 19-11 after losing to Stanford, despite having won only 18 games the five previous seasons combined.
“That was unbelievable gratification for those seniors who had won 12 games the previous three years,” Adams said. “There was a lot of bitterness and they got to go out on a good note.”
While Oseguera and Roberson started on one.
“A lot of my friends asked me why I would pick Irvine,” said Oseguera, who attended Mater Dei. “They told me the team had no support and had a bad record. So when we made the NCAA, I just threw it in everyone’s face, like, ‘Look at us, we’re in the tournament.’
“That team was a part of history. People started recognizing UC Irvine. It was something to be proud of.”
Roberson was a reserve that season, making the difficult transition from post player to guard. She averaged 4.4 points, but shot 33% from the field. Still, she was a fierce defender.
This season, Roberson has averaged 8.7 points. She has improved as a ballhandler and has shot 41% from the field.
“Once you taste the NCAA tournament, you want more,” Roberson said. “I think we have all the opportunity in world to make it. We have the talent, the coaching and the experience necessary.”
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)
Women’s College Basketball
* What: Big West Conference women’s championships
* When: First round today, semifinals Thursday, finals Saturday
* Where: Lawlor Events Center, Reno
* First-round games: 12:30 p.m.--Boise State (17-9, 11-3) vs. Pacific (9-17, 5-10); 3--UC Irvine (16-10, 11-4) vs. Idaho (14-14, 9-5); 6--UC Santa Barbara (23-5, 14-1) vs. North Texas (10-16, 4-10); 8:30--Cal State Fullerton (10-16, 7-8) vs. Nevada (18-8, 10-4)
