Women's Basketball

UC's Thomas Rights Ship, Returns to Starting Spot
January 13, 2006

By Jacob Messer
Sportswriter, Charleston Daily Mail 

In the University of Charleston women's basketball media guide, Courtney Thomas said the person she admires most is "anyone who can fight their way through trials and tribulations."

Thomas now can look in the mirror to see one of those people.

Thomas made a mistake, one that cost her four starts for her nationally ranked team.

The fact that she identified the problem and corrected it, her coach said, "speaks highly" of her makeup.

"She has tremendous character," said UC Coach Sherry Winn, who rewarded Thomas with her first start in five games Thursday in a West Virginia Conference matchup against Kanawha County rival West Virginia State University. "She has learned her lesson and has been positive about it."

Winn suspended Thomas for both of the Golden Eagles' games in the Red Roof Classic two weeks ago for undisclosed reasons.

Winn didn't start but did play Thomas in Charleston's next two games, a 54-49 loss to Indiana (Pa.) and an 84-54 win over WVU Tech last week.

Thomas played only 24 minutes and missed all nine of her field goal attempts in the non-conference loss. She collected four rebounds and three assists but committed three fouls and six turnovers.

Thomas played only 18 minutes in the league win but netted all three of her field goal attempts, including her only 3-pointer, and swished one of her two free throw attempts to finish with eight points. She contributed three assists, one rebound and one steal but committed four fouls and five turnovers.

Thursday also marked a return to form for Thomas, a 5-foot-8 junior guard out of Reynoldsburg High School (Ohio).

Making 5-of-9 field goals, including 2-of-5 3-pointers, Thomas scored 12 points in 33 minutes. She added a game-high eight assists compared to three turnovers. She also contributed three steals and four rebounds.

"It's great to be back," a smiling Thomas said minutes after the Golden Eagles' 77-62 victory over the Yellow Jackets in front of a Fleming Hall crowd of 337. "(The past four games were) really tough. I felt like I was hurting my team and letting my teammates down. They were all behind me and supported me. I did what I needed to do and I'm back. This refreshed me. It feels good."

Capital High product Lisa Lee finished with a game-high 28 points for the Golden Eagles (12-1, 4-0). She made 9-of-17 field goals and 10-of-12 free throws.

She also recorded a game-high eight steals and grabbed nine rebounds, one less than Laura Kinsler's game-high 10 boards.

"Lisa and I were talking after the game and we feel like this is the best we have played together all season," Thomas said.

Emily Jones added 15 points for Charleston, which is ranked No. 7 in this week's NCAA Division II coaches' poll. Rachel Pike contributed eight points, six rebounds, three steals, three assists and one block.

LaSha' Anderson (5-of-9 on field goals and 1-of-2 on free throws) and April Stevenson (5-of-7 on field goals and 4-of-6 on free throws) each scored 14 points for the Yellow Jackets (8-4, 2-2). Another former Capital star, Randi Cary, added 11 points.