hey all, i am new school so I really dont know about the basketball program in the best but i was wondering how you all thought was the best defender, and best defensive team in the history of texas basketball. my vote would have to go to hastings or larkin for individual best defenders and as far as the team goes it would have the 2003 final four team.
Hard to say who was the best in history. Hastings was very good as was Joanne Benton. I also liked Tai Dillard. I'm sure there are others that I'm just not thinking of right now.
Best defender? Going back one would have to consider Esoleta Whaley (spelling is likely wrong), Annette Smith Knight, Beverly Williams, Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, Ellen Bayer, Retha Swindell. There are others I don't remember who had defense as their strong suit. A look in the media guide will surely bring their names to the forefront and point out several I should have mentioned, like Andrea Lloyd-Currie who was the best all around freshman I have seen at UT. She walked on campus with a complete game. Her defense was all over the court. Have I named the best defensive player? Its likely. Can I say which one was the best? No way. I have seen those named play remarkable defense, and some also played remarkable offense. I think that many would agree with whoever I would name, just as I agree with those already named. Do I have a favorite defensive game? Sure. Ellen Bayer blocking TT 12 times in one game, 4 of which in one sequence. She blocked TT's high scoring post player so many times that the woman passed the ball out from the paint rather than get blocked again. Yulanda Wimbish at 5'9" (close) just shut down 6'4" Sue Wicks by face guarding her in a game at a tournament (1987) in Miami. Wicks became so frustrated that at one point she just stopped and screamed, "What are you doing?" There has been no one who could anticipate a pass for a steal or roam the paint better than Annette Smith Knight although Raven is getting better at steals. Lots better. I will have to say that we have had numerous examples of very good defensive players and I feel lucky to have seen some of the best at their best.
Career Steals - Linda Waggoner Most Block Shots - Ellen Bayer (Tiffany Jackson is third overall in both of those categories.) Most Rebounds - Retha Swindell (Tiffany is #4) Overall, I think you have to include Tiffany Jackson among the list of best defensive players. She is the only player to make Top Five in all three categories. Of course, there will be some who say that these are not the only measures of a good defensive player.
I think Kala Bowers deserves a mention here, she was a very good lock-down defender......just like E-Bay is now..... But, ya'll are right, Annette was (and is) "da bomb"......
You really do have to watch the games to tell. Some people rack up a lot of blocks or steals by gambling way too much and aren't very good at just straight-up stopping someone from getting closer to the hoop. In my time of watching the team (only since 2000 or so), my list would be. 1. Annissa Hastings 2. Kala Bowers 3. Tiffany Jackson
Daria Mieloszynska was really great her Senior year, too... I wish Jody had red-shirted her when she came here, she was wasted one year...but she was a super defender...
Yes WCBBNUT - It is a true story. While Wicks got some of her points, she did not dominate as she did in many college games. "YO" face guarded her and maintained both her position and an absolute STONE FACE pretty much the whole game. Wicks was a bit unnerved. I think the next year we played Rutgers in a Regional final and it was freshman Ellen Bayer who blocked or altered a couple of Wick's shots.
