Still recovering from her team's crushing defeat to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament third round Sunday, Virginia point guard Renee Robinson took time to look back. As the team's emotional catalyst for much of her four-year college career, the Cavalier senior was more than qualified to reflect on an improbable season that saw the Cavs make a run to the ACC regular season title and an NCAA Sweet Sixteen finish.
"I think it's been a great season," said Robinson, who averaged 13 points and 4.3 assists in three tournament games, the final games of her career in the orange and blue. "I'm disappointed that it had to end, but I'm not going to forget the great times I had with this team. There were a lot of people doubting us and thinking we weren't going to be here.
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"I told you guys [reporters] from the beginning that we were going to shock a lot of people, shock the world, and we didn't need you jumping on the bandwagon. We're happy to have done a lot of positive things this year and upset a lot of people. I wish [the Cavs] the best of luck next year."
Next season, Virginia will return the top three scorers from a team that finished 25-9 with four victories over top 10 opponents. With the emergence of first-team All-ACC forward Svetlana Volnaya, ACC Rookie of the Year Schuye LaRue and high-scoring two-guard Telisha Quarles this season, the Cavs have three-fifths of their starting lineup filled out for the 2000-01 campaign. The only holes will be at Robinson's point guard spot and power forward, where freshman Marcie Dixon looks destined to take over for senior Lisa Hosac.
"I think this season we had this year makes us ready to take the next step," Cav coach Debbie Ryan said. "Marcie Dickson has shown that she can play well. If we can find a point guard next year, we'll be fine."
Said Hosac: "This team has three of its top scorers coming back - that's three huge weapons and I know they'll work tremendously hard in the offseason. They're going to be amazing next year."
But for the moment, the Cavaliers are mulling over their 77-56 loss to the No. 2 Lady Vols. Ryan noted that for Virginia to contend for a national championship, it must be prepared for top-notch competition like Pat Summitt's squad.
"Our conference gets you ready to do everything but" push for the national title, Ryan said. "To get there, you have to be able to play Tennessee."
Hosac said that, despite the loss, the Cavs should remember the tremendous feat they accomplished - advancing to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in three years. Virginia reached the NCAA third round in Hosac's freshman year and she is proud that she helped end the three-year drought this season, averaging a career-high 8.3 points per game.
"The team was great," Hosac said. "We all got along really well - great chemistry. Just to finish on the note that we did leaves me with a good taste. It's a nice way to go out"
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