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University of Texas Women’s Basketball is Back

By Michael Barnes | Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 10:57 AM

The place looked deserted. The vastness of the Erwin Center swallowed up the 1,000 or so fans for the University of Texas women’s basketball game on Tuesday. They peppered the seats in the lower two sectors, looking candied for the holidays in burnt orange.

I had purchased my seventh-row, half-court seat over the Internet earlier in the afternoon. Even with silly fees — $1 to print out one’s ticket at home? — it came to less than 20 bucks. Not bad for the best seat in the house, I thought.

But where were my cohorts? My thoughts went back to the late 1980s and early ’90s when the “Ladies,” as they were known then, often filled the lower two sectors, with the help of ticket giveaways to youth groups, of course.

Obviously, even season ticket holders didn’t respect the opponents, the Northwestern (La.) State Demons. Didn’t matter to me. The Horns looked good. Real good. The final score — 112-53 — doesn’t hint at the beauty of the play.

Hustle. Steals. Fast breaks. Fantastic freshmen. Many players scoring in double digits and making perfect free throws. Reminded me of the golden age of coach Jody Conradt, with whom I recently shared warm memories at a party for the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.

A third of the way into the game, I heard a small, but determined voice yell: “Michael!” It was all-time role model Bettie Naylor with partner Libby Sykora. These darlings agreed this was the season to believe in the Horns. I plan to do so.

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