Nicholls State University - La Pirogue Yearbook (Thibodaux, LA)

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U l Patty Bubrig, junior, receives the ball on the fast break in a game against McNeese. The Cowgirls defeated Nic- holls in every meet this season. Coach Steve Wieschhaus wears a red Carnation which was presented to him by team members before the UNO game. Robichaux Short lbtmja O ssjganrrnftce Q cont. out-of-state opponent, Southern Missis- sippi, and Dillard again, for two consec- utive wins. Four times during the season, the women won two games in a row, but failed to win that elusive third game. wtfs IM'-:itt'll,mll Another losing streak of four games followed, two to Louisiana Tech, a team which pointed out the weakness in height of the Lady Colonels. With Candilora, the tallest player for Nicholls, at 5'11W', the women faced three players from Louisiana Tech, ranging from 6'1 to 6'6 in height. With eight games remaining before the state tournament, the women were 5-10 for the season. A better winning attitude was Wieschhaus' comment after the season, as the women then won five of the remaining eight games. Along with the record being set this season for most points scored in a game, was also the breaking of the record with the defeat of Dillard, 99-84. The 100 point score was never achieved. A come-from-behind 77-74 win in the last three minutes against William Carey College had the Lady Colonels showing their best poise of the season. After trailing by as much as 11 points in the second half, the women tied the score at 69-69 on a lay-up. A quick bas- ket and Roye Bell's immediate steal and score put the women ahead for the win. The final game of the season held an omen for the state tournament held in Hammond. The ladies lost to McNeese

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Pennington by Kevin Fambrough To receive attention in sports, it has to be done big. Winning a World Series in four straight games could do it. A football team's defensive stand on the one-yard line is another example. The women's basketball team received some attention by winning their first overtime game ever played, against William Carey College of Mis- sissippi, 69-67. Nearly reaching a hundred points in three games and a third-place finish in the Louisiana small college tournament were other impressive parts of the 1976- 77 season forthe Lady Colonels. The addition of four freshmen and a transfer sophomore to five returning players helped coach Steve Wiesch- haus' team finish with a 10-13 record. Tryouts were held before the begin- ning of the fall semester for grants-in- aid, the first type of financial aid offered to women athletes at Nicholls. The women opened their season in the fall with two wins against the Uni- versity of New Orleans, 91-45, and Dil- lard University, 68-57, setting records for points scored in a game C911 and the first time the team had won the first two games of the season. Patty Bubrig goes up over the head of Southern Mississippi's player for a shot. Bubrig, named best defensive player, has an average of 16.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Almost dwarfed by Louisiana Tech's player, Liz Candilora goes up for a basket. Candilora at 5'11Vz was the Lady Colonels' tallest player. Height was a major problem for the team this year. Five consecutive defeats followed during the Christmas holidays and early Ianuary, including a 119-77 loss to Southeastern Louisiana University, the eventual small college national cham- pion. The losing streak was snapped with the overtime win against William Carey College, with Freshman Liz Candilora scoring 19 points, 10 rebounds and blocking 3 shots. Iunior Patty Bubrig had been the leading scorer in five of the first seven games with a 15.1 point average. After a road defeat to McNeese, the Lady Colonels defeated their second VVomen's Basket! ill

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Pt-nmngtmi State 78-71 in the last regular season game. They faced the Cowgirls again in the first game of the tournament, losing 84-75. The Lady Colonels then eliminated Louisiana College and Dillard from the tournament, meeting McNeese for a second time in the semi-finals. But the women were again unable to make it three wins in a row, with a 78-71 loss which eliminated them from the tour- nament. Senior Linda Becnel, who scored 105 points and 28 rebounds during the tour- nament, was named to the LAIAW Division II all-state team. Marla Iaspriza fights through the outstretched arms of Southern Mississippi's players in an attempt to rebound the ball. Southern Mississippi's player shoved Linda Bec- nel in a desperate attempt to stop a fast-break lay- up. The player was removed from the game for unnecessary roughness. Q! ' F , if , V 5 ., 15 Becnel, the only graduating senior on the team, was also named the most val- uable player at the women's sports ban- quet. The physical education major scored 411 points and 169 rebounds for a per game average of 17.8 points and 7.3 rebounds. She also led in assists 6551 and steals 1601. Iunior Patty Bubrig, who finished second in scoring with a 16.4 game average and first in rebounding with a 10.7 average was named the team's best defensive player. Through the first 15 games, Bubrig was top scorer and rebounder in 8 of them. Roye Bell was named the team cap- tain, while Marla Iaspriza was named the most improved player. Members of the team were: returners Linda Becnel, Patty Bubrig, Rene Hunt, Cheryl Huffman, Mary Cavell and Cel- este Tate, and newcomers Mary Ellen Hamner, Liz Candilora, Pam Randazza, Lisa Peterson, Roye Bell and Marla las- priza. With the return of the players next year, the women are expected to con- tinue improvement. Eight players saw action in 16 or more games, to make experience and a winning attitude the key to future success. Womr'n's liaskv b ll