The Lady Tiger basketball team has had its ups and downs this season, but there has been one constant force on the court through it all. Junior guard Devin Necaise is having the best year of her career.
Necaise is the leading scorer for the Lady Tigers (3-22 overall, 1-13 Conference USA) and has fallen into the role of go-to player in crunch situations.
"I think she is an integral part of this team," said coach Blair Savage-Landsen. "She never loses her focus, and she's playing consistently well."
Consistency is an understatement. She set a new career-high in points this season three different times and became just the fifth player in school history to hit 100 career three-pointers. She is also leading the conference, shooting 90.9 percent from the free-throw line, and earlier in the season she set the school record for consecutive free-throws made at 24.
While her offensive game is impressive, she also is a dominant presence on the other side of the ball.
"She plays both ends of the floor," Savage-Landsen said. "She defends the post hard and makes plays when needed."
Necaise attributes her success this season to her hard work ethic. Putting in extra time before and after practice to hone her shot has paid off. She has also tried to keep a positive attitude throughout this rough season.
"This year the main thing is I haven't given up on myself or my teammates," she said. "I felt like it was time to step up, and I knew a lot of the team's success would rely on me performing well."
With that attitude, it is easy to see how her scoring average has jumped from 4.8 points per game in 2004-05 to 14.2 this year. She has taken the role of team leader very seriously.
She also approaches her role off the court just as seriously.
"In everything she does she is the same person," Savage-Landsen said. "Whether it's basketball or her studies, she has this inner desire to be the best and it shows."
Her teammates have been following her lead, and they know Necaise didn't improve overnight, but instead over time.
Junior center Megan Gooch has been Necaise's roommate for three years, so she knows firsthand the work ethic of her friend.
"Devin is very driven," Gooch said. "She always is watching basketball, going to the gym to practice and trying to learn as much about the game as possible."
Gooch said Necaise is a leader on the team, and her actions speak louder than words. Whenever a game is on the line, the team always looks to Necaise to make the deciding shot.
Even though she is setting career highs this season, Devin is not caught up in the numbers and stats. She just faces each game wanting to help lead the team to victory.
"My role is just to be a leader," she said. "I really don't pay that much attention to whether or not I get 30 points a game, or shoot a ton of threes. As long as we pull out a win that's all that matters."
