UWA focuses on new challenge

By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
March 5, 2004
TUPELO Call it a pleasant surprise.
In all of West Alabama's excitement over winning the East Division title in the Gulf South Conference, claiming a top seed in the GSC Tournament was an afterthought.
As it turned out, the Lady Tigers' division championship set them up with one of the tourney's two No. 1 seeds and a chance to do something no Lady Tigers squad has ever done.
That goal certainly seems reasonable, considering the Lady Tigers' domination of conference opponents. West Alabama rolled to a 21-6 (12-2 GSC) record during the regular season. The Lady Tigers' in-conference win total was second only to Christian Brothers, which finished 13-3 in GSC games.
West Alabama will not meet West Division champion Christian Brothers until the tournament finals, assuming both teams go that far. West Alabama and Christian Brothers split their two regular-season games. Christian Brothers won 79-59 on Nov. 15, and UWA took a 76-72 overtime win on Nov. 29.
But a long road lies before the Lady Tigers can even dream of the tournament finals, despite being blessed with an opening-round bye. Each division sent its top five teams to the tournament, with the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds playing in the first round on Wednesday.
West Georgia, the East's No. 4 seed, beat Southern Arkansas on Wednesday, and West Division fourth seed Henderson State downed Valdosta State 60-49 in overtime.
Valdosta State will be rewarded for its win sort of by facing the well-rested Lady Tigers today at 5:30 p.m.
But first, West Alabama must face Valdosta State, a team which the Lady Tigers have already beaten twice this season, on Jan. 24 and Feb. 21.
A win would advance the Lady Tigers to Saturday's semifinal round, where they would play the winner of today's game between Lincoln Memorial and Central Arkansas.
And while Marks values the experience of having seen and beaten virtually every team in the field, West Alabama's greatest asset may be its veteran makeup.