Basketball teams in transition

   The men's and women's basketball teams have more than a few things in common this season.

   Each team went on a tear over break, pulling off five consecutive victories. Then each team ran into trouble, dropping several games. It has been a rebuilding year for both squads.

   The men's record now stands at 12-6 and the women's at 11-9, which all but eliminates Chapman from postseason consideration. Both teams may have had a chance but shared another attribute by dropping very winnable games to sub-par UC Santa Cruz squads. The Banana Slugs' winning percentage is .500 or worse in Division III play for both teams.

   "That game is what will probably keep us out [of the tournament]," said men's senior guard Brandon Lin. "We aren't mathematically out, but it's probably like a one percent chance."

    The men have seven games left to play and the women five, but unless both win out, the Chapman teams will play only for fun to close out the season.

   "Now we play for pride, for discipline and especially for our seniors," said women's Head Coach Carol Jue. "If you don't play for your teammates, who do you play for?"

   The teams have remained competitive all season, even with major injuries and serious experience issues. The women's last three losses were by two, six and six points. The men's by 12, two and one. Men's Head Coach Mike Bokosky responded tongue-in-cheek about his team's problems.

   "We're not a good team defensively," Bokosky said. "We don't rebound well and we struggle to score. [Senior forward Ben] Ricard and Lin are carrying us. We have small guys and we need to get tougher."

   With only three seniors and nine freshmen plus a slew of injuries, it's been difficult for Bokosky to have a consistent starting five. Jue's squad faces similar problems. Senior guard and forward Stephanie Servin returned from an injury only to have senior center Brandi Hood tear her meniscus.

   "She is playing on it, basically on one leg. It's hard when we are getting beat up in the post," said junior guard and forward Liz Hartnett. "We are a smaller team. I'm five-foot-eight and guarding a six-foot-two person. But that's the style of play it's always been under Coach Jue."

   While Jue's smaller, quicker, better-shooting squads have worked well in the past, the injuries and size disadvantage appear to have bested the Panthers this season. For Bokosky's team, the perimeter shooting has been abysmal and opponents are shooting more than 40 percent from the floor.

   Unless both teams win out and other teams choke, the two will share yet another similarity this season: they'll be at home watching others take their playoff spots.