Semrau leads improved FSU into Cameron to face Blue Devils

If Florida is the Sunshine State, then the Florida State women's basketball program must be a sunspot.

The ongoing futility of the Lady Seminoles basketball program has become something of a legend in basketball lore, leading one Tallahassee journalist to dub the program, "the biggest women's basketball hellhole in the conference if not in America." With a moribund overall record of 21-64 during the last three years and an unimpressive 5-9 (1-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) mark this year, imposing is not exactly the word that will be heaped upon the Blue Devils' (10-5, 3-2) opponent tonight in Cameron.

However, with new head coach Sue Semrau at the helm, a new day may be dawning for the 'Noles. Or at least Duke head coach Gail Goestenkors thinks so.

"[Semrau] is a very energetic coach," Goestenkors said. "She brings a lot of enthusiasm to their game. She's a large reason for their improvement; she has such enthusiasm for the game."

Improvement yes, but success with a 5-9 mark? Well, sort of. After all, Semrau has already done what her predecessor, Chris Gobrecht, was unable to do last year: win a conference game, as FSU knocked off Wake Forest 64-63. Of course one conference win by one point in two years isn't exactly monumental, but for a program that has lost 20-plus games each of the last three years, it is definitely a beginning.

Perhaps the main reason for the improvement has been the play of Brooke Wyckoff, who coolly ended FSU's conference drought by sinking a pair of free throws with two seconds left. Averaging 11.6 points a game and ranking second in the conference in blocked shots, Wyckoff is turning the heads of coaches and players at a record pace.

"[Wyckoff] has had a tremendous impact on the team," Goestenkors said. "She's very versatile. She understands the game, I think that is how she helps the most. She's used to winning, and she's used to playing at high levels of competition."

Essential to the Seminole attack will be the play of a new face to Cameron, new face, that is, to everyone but Duke freshman Georgia Schweitzer. Both natives of Ohio, these two have played both together and against each other over the past four years, teaming up in 1997 to bring home the AAU national championship. And if there are any doubters of Wyckoff's talent, Schweitzer is not among them.

"Georgia is continuing to play great basketball," Goestenkors said. "I think the most impressive thing about Georgia is the way she has played well in every big game."

The overall matchup may not constitute a big game, but the play on the inside will. Duke's frontcourt has improved dramatically over the course of the last month. Michele VanGorp, Payton Black and Peppi Browne have led the Duke team recently and these players will again have to play big against the Seminoles to stop forward LaTavia Coleman, the ACC's second leading scorer.

"Latavia is a great player, she's very difficult to defend," Goestenkors said. "She's only five-10, but she plays the post. She's very strong, very powerful, physical and has real good quickness. She can also shoot the three-point shot. She has a real nice all-around game."

Even if Coleman and Wyckoff are at the top of their game, the 'Noles and their conference-worst defense will still have a hard time knocking off the Devils. Of course, there is always the chance of a letdown playing an underrated opponent between match ups with arch-rival UNC and conference-leading N.C. State.

"I am [worried about a letdown]," Goestenkors said. "I think every coach worries about a big letdown, especially following a very emotional game. We're going to have to be focused and really ready to play. They are a much-improved team."