Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Senior forward Tatum Brown scores career-high against Colorado State

When a player scores more points than minutes played, that player is usually in the game for about two minutes, scoring three or four points.

But, don't let senior forward Tatum Brown know that.

After scoring a career-high 21 points and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds in the University of Arizona's win over No. 15 UC Santa Barbara last week, Brown earned the high honor of being named the Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Week.

Against Colorado State last night, she put in her application for a repeat to that honor as she poured home another career-high, 30 points, and pulled down another team-high eight rebounds in just 27 minutes, pushing the Wildcats past the Rams 89-75.

"I am trying to keep it going as long as I can," Brown said. "My guards just got me the ball this game, they were awesome. They got great looks, they just took their time, they kept pounding it in and once they collapsed on us (the post) they got their open looks."

From the opening tip-off, Brown was soaring in the UA offensive set as she scored 11 of the team's first 15 points and UA led 15-5.

She finished the first-half with 13 points in 12 minutes, and once again came out blazing in the second-half, scoring six of the team's first eight points during the Wildcats 10-0 stretch to start the half.

"When I first came out and scored a couple baskets, I was like, this is it," Brown said. "We have a new system, you play a couple of minutes, you come out, and I was just like if you are going to play three minutes, just come out and give it your all for three minutes."

Not only was she scoring, she was doing it at a high percentage - 92 percent to be exact, as she was 11-of-12 from the field. She was also 8-of-11 from the free throw line.

Brown rehabbed her way back into the starting lineup last year from knee surgery for an ACL tear that she suffered in the spring of 1998. She played in 13 games and started 12 of them, averaging 9.5 points and 5.2 rebounds.

This year, she has come out of the gates firing, averaging 16.5 points per game and 6.1 rebounds in just 23 minutes per game. She is also shooting an incredible 68 percent from the field.

"I am not sure if she is 100 percent, but she is sure getting there is a hurry," UA head coach Joan Bonvicini said. "She did a great job posting up, but I thought our guards did a great job of getting her the ball. When Julie (Brase) and Lisa (Griffith) started hitting some three's it just opened up the floor.

"I think we have different people who can step up and we needed her to."

Brown came to UA from Central Arizona Junior College where she was a Kodak Junior College All-American and a first team NJCAA All-American in 1998.

She also brought a winning history with her to Tucson, as her 1998 Central Arizona team won the national championship and finished 33-1.

So, it is no surprise that she has lofty goals for this Arizona team.

"I want to go all the way, I want another ring," Brown said. "It is the best feeling in the world. (I think our undefeated streak can go) forever, if we play hard and pour it all out there, I think we can go all the way."

With her play in the first six games, she may just be making believers out of her teammates as well.