University of Richmond Athletics
Mission Accomplished: DeUnna Hendrix
12/11/2003 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2003
reprinted courtesy of the Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Vic Dorr, Jr.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: University of Richmond freshman guard DeUnna Hendrix said she gives herself the same assignment each time she leaves the bench to report to the scorer's table: "I want to make sure our level of intensity and emotion stays the same. I don't want us to lose anything or let down at all once I come into the game."
Certainly there were no letdowns Tuesday night. Hendrix, a sturdy 5-9, came off the Spiders' bench to score 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting in UR's 98-88 ambush of Florida. She also grabbed six rebounds and handed out three assists.
Hendrix, a member of Kokomo High School's undefeated Indiana Group AAAA 2003 championship team, said her biggest concern is her tendency to try to do too much too quickly.
"The big thing with me is: Just don't turn the ball over," she said. "The coaches have talked to me about it. They want me to focus on rebounding and boxing out" upon entering a game.
"Once I get a few rebounds and play a few minutes with no turnovers, then the confidence starts to come and I start to think: 'OK - I'm in the flow now.' That's what I start to think about shooting."
Hendrix said she was about to commit to Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., when persistent recruiting by Spiders assistant coach Lindsay Gottlieb prompted her to spend her last official visit at UR.
"She kept saying, 'Just come and look and I guarantee: You'll fall in love with the campus.' She was right. I can't explain why, but as soon as I saw it, I knew it was right."
