Whether NCAA or WNIT, UA just wants to win

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Having to settle for the WNIT instead of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year surely has left a bad taste in Arkansas' mouth, right?
Well, maybe, but that doesn't mean the Lady Razorbacks want to enjoy the sweet taste of victory any less.
"We wish we were at the NCAA Tournament, but we're not going to try to lose or anything," freshman guard India Lewis said with a laugh. "I mean, we've got to play no matter what, so we might as well win it. That's the way I look at it."
That's certainly good news to Arkansas Coach Gary Blair, who leads his team into a WNIT first-round game tonight against the Wichita State Shockers. Tipoff at Walton Arena is set for 7 p.m.
Arkansas (14-14) is aiming to snap a school-record seven-game losing streak and avoid its first sub-.500 finish in Blair's 15th season as a head coach.
"I think that's the most important thing -- not how many we win, but getting off that losing streak," Blair said. "That and getting the confidence of the kids back, getting them to feel good about themselves. Winning does that ... and I want them to feel good about themselves going into the off-season and into the summer. I want them to leave here on a positive note."
The Lady Razorbacks did just that last season, winning five consecutive home games to capture the WNIT championship. This season, however, Arkansas faces stiffer competition in the first round. It also faces the possibility of having to play a road game as soon as Saturday if it wins tonight.
Wichita State (20-9) is in its second season under Darryl Smith and is looking for its first postseason victory, in its second consecutive trip to the WNIT.

This article was published on Thursday, March 16, 2000

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