Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 24, 1994 TAG: 9403240117
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By GRANT HALL SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. LENGTH: Medium
Debbie Ryan, whose Virginia basketball team meets the Women of Troy at 9:30 p.m. today at Bud Walton Arena, knows all about Leslie.
"I coached Lisa when she was a junior in high school, in the world championships in Sao Paulo, Spain, and I coached against her when she was a sophomore at USC," said Ryan, the Cavaliers' coach. "She will present us a lot of problems because of her agility and ability to pass, as well as score from the 3-point line on in."
Leslie, a 6-foot-5 center, averages 22 points and 12.3 rebounds per game.
"She has great quickness and size," Ryan said. "We don't want her to go off for 35 points. We've played a similar team in North Carolina, with a very athletic player in Sylvia Crawley, so we're not going to change our game plan a whole lot."
It was against North Carolina in the ACC tournament final, a 77-60 Virginia loss, that Ryan felt her freshman point guard, Tora Suber, received her indoctrination to big-time women's basketball.
"Tora was very nervous in that game," Ryan said. "It was a turning point for her. Since then she's been able to handle the pressure and meaning of a big game."
Tonight's game between Virginia (27-4) and Southern Cal (25-3) is about as big as they come; the winner advances to meet the Tennessee-Louisiana Tech winner in the regional final.
"USC does not have a whole lot of weaknesses," Ryan said. "They've got a great point guard in Nicky McCrimmon. They have good shooters from the wings, and a dominant post game. Rebounding will be a big key."
Ryan added, "We have to play together. We don't really rely on any one player, but we have very good chemistry."
Wendy Palmer, a 6-2 sophomore who leads UVa with 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, said, "We're relaxed but focused. I don't think we're too relaxed."
Palmer faces the task of trying to keep Leslie in check.
"She's going to get her points," Palmer said. "All we can do is contain her. We'll have to play our best defense ever, I guess."
Cheryl Miller, Southern Cal's first-year coach, bristled at the suggestion that Leslie must lead USC to the NCAA title to confirm her place among the legends of women's basketball.
"There are a lot of legends who never won the national championship," Miller said.
Leslie didn't shy away from the subject, though.
"I'm especially driven to win a national championship," she said. "Being a senior, that gives me an incentive to win. On the West Coast we do not get much attention. Winning a national championship would be a great honor, and I believe that was what was expected when I signed."
Leslie hopes to play pro basketball in Europe and start a modeling career next year, while pursuing her goal of competing in the Olympics.
Miller, who said her bad knees prevent her from challenging Leslie to one-on-one games, listed several keys to the Trojans' chances against Virginia.
"One, we have to rebound well," Miller said. "Two, we must do a good job defensively in the post area. Three, our guards must keep constant pressure on their perimeter game.
"We hope to play our style and get up and down the floor. If it's run-and-gun, so be it. But if it's half-court, we can do that, too."
by CNB