CHAPEL HILL - Standing in the tunnel leading to the court at Carmichael Auditorium, North Carolina forward LaQuanda Barksdale reluctantly spat out the frustration one wouldn't normally expect to hear from the soft-spoken junior.
But it's exactly the type of frustration one would hear from the workaholic star who has recently seen her amply talented team stumble to a 2-5 record in the conference and tumble out of the top 25.
" I never thought we'd fall this far. I really don't know [how it happened]," she said. "I guess it's more of a mental thing than an on-the-court basketball thing. I think outside factors had a lot to do with it, but I never expected this year to be like this."
And how could she?
A little more than two years ago, Barksdale and her teammates had come within five minutes of a Final Four appearance. As a part of arguably the most highly trumpeted freshmen class in ACC history, Barksdale and classmates Nikki Teasley and Juana Brown looked to be on the cusp of a dominant run atop the ACC.
Fast forward 30 months, however, and the promise has all but evaporated. Ravaged by periods of lackadaisical play and Teasley's puzzling temporary departure from the team, the Tar Heels' downward spiral culminated last week in a shocking 69-56 loss to perennial ACC doormat Wake Forest.
One could cite several reasons for North Carolina's demise, but Barksdale certainly isn't one of
"Barksdale reminds me a lot of Marcus Camby; she's very, very good," Duke coach Gail Goestenkors said. "She can hit the three, she runs the floor very, very well, she's very thin and very athletic. She's got probably the best right-handed hook of anybody in our conference. You have to play her straight up because she's so good, she can score inside and outside."
Three years ago, few thought Barksdale could ever be this good. Almost an afterthought in a recruiting class that included the top prep player in the country in Teasley and the No. 5 prep player in Brown, Barksdale sat the bench backing up All-American Tracy Reid.
But the reps in practice against Reid and the occasional game action went a long way in shaping Barksdale.
After practically living the last two summers at the gym, Barksdale has more than stepped out of Reid's shadow-she is now commanding the same type of respect Reid received when she dominated the ACC.
"I knew coming in that I wasn't going to get that much playing time, if any at all," Barksdale said. "I've been working hard, my freshman summer and my sophomore summer. So I'm not surprised at all [at my success], it's hard work."
Last summer, Barksdale reaped the rewards of her work when she played with the U.S. squad that captured the silver medal at the World University Games.
Barksdale started all six games on a roster full of potential All-Americans and finished second on the team in scoring at 11.8 ppg.
As an added bonus, Barksdale received the chance to go head-to-head last summer with an old UNC alum who knows a thing or two about basketball-Michael Jordan.
"Every year, two of us get invited to work a camp up in Chicago, and I got invited this summer." Barksdale said. "We played five-on-five. He guarded me, and I guarded him. My team won."
Fresh off besting Jordan, Barksdale put up some early numbers that were larger than life, somewhat fitting for a person who cited "my Backstreet Boys CD" as her most prized possession in a survey conducted by USA Basketball.
Although Barksdale's play has slipped a bit of late, perhaps trying to overcompensate for Teasley's departure, things may be looking up for Barksdale and the Tar Heels.
With Teasley's imminent return to the floor, Barksdale slips in one important promise after venting her frustration.
"We will turn it around."
And if the rest of the Tar Heels adopt Barksdale's work ethic, it's a promise that could very well come to fruition, for a change.
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