HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The University of Tampa women's basketball team has one of the best seasons in school history. Tuesday's 79-61 win over St. Leo ran their winning streak to 17 games and improved their overall record to 28-1. But head coach Tom Jessee says you'd never suspect they were on such a hot streak.
"As a coach, you'd like to have a little 'Rah, Rah, Ree!' but they don't have any of that," Jessee said after Tuesday's victory.
"They just play basketball. Nothing rattles them. When they're up, they don't celebrate it. When they're down, they don't panic. So that's just a tribute to them."
Focusing on basketball and school work is hard enough for a college student, but junior guard Sarah Jones has a bigger priority on her list- her two-year-old daughter, Mazlynn.
"It's just great to have a child and to be able to know that I'm playing for something greater than myself," she said after the Spartan's latest win.
Jones admits she almost gave up basketball after becoming a mother, but coach Jessee and her UT teammates became an even more significant part of her family.
"Honestly, I didn't think I was going to play again," Jones said with a huge grin. "But coach gave me the opportunity to come, and I'm working every day to be great for my team."
"I tell the kids all the time. Listen, if you get up in the morning feeling bad and not wanting to go to class, feeling sorry for yourself, think about Sarah," Jessee added. "She just comes to work, works hard, is our best defensive player. What blessing it is to have her."
Spartans forward/center Sydney Kin is a national player of the year candidate, but she tips her cap to Jones for her work on and off the court.
"She's an amazing person, even better mother. She's a great teammate," Kin said. "She focuses on basketball when it's time to focus on basketball, and she focuses on her family when it's time to focus on her family."
Jones said she loves shifting focus to her family, especially after a tough day.
"Every time I see [Mazlynn], I'm smiling. Whenever I'm having a bad day and I come home from class to get her… it makes my world."
UT finishes Sunshine State Conference tournament play this weekend, and they have their eyes on hosting an NCAA Regional.
"We've been going really hard in practice. We've been looking for teammates. We keep having so many assists during the games. We're working inside-out," Kin added. "We're just executing the game plan. 'Who's next?' The goal is to win, so that's what we're gonna try to do."
UT hosts Florida Southern in the SSC semifinals Thursday at 7 P.M.