The 1994-95 Tulane Women’s Basketball Team: The Standard Setters
May 22, 2020 | Women's Basketball
The 1994-95 Tulane women's basketball team was coming off a run to the third round of the 1994 WNIT and was bound to become the first team in program history to appear in the NCAA Tournament, but this was not without some challenges along the way. The team entered the season with some expectations while a new, first-year head coach, Lisa Stockton, manned the sidelines. Though Stockton spent the three seasons prior at Division III Greensboro College, she was who the players on the team wanted as their coach.
"I was fortunate enough to be on the player committee when they were interviewing people initially," 1994-95 Tulane guard Mary Ann Marino said. "She was definitely the one we wanted. We were excited to get her in. What I really remember was that she was young and up and coming and thought she could take us to the next level. Prior to her arriving, we had made it to the NIT. We were excited."
Stockton was new to the Uptown campus, but that didn't mean she was willing to let the team lower their expectations for the upcoming season. The coaching staff had one focus on the court – winning – and the players responded.
"They were focused on winning," 1994-95 Tulane forward Kim Bryant said. "Everything was positive. As a team, I think we were all excited about where the program was going. I think the expectations were set. Her approach to the game was different. As a team, I think we were excited about the change and the future. We all got in the gym and worked hard. We not only wanted to improve our team, but we wanted to show them that we were the real deal and we were going to help them win."
Stockton had a lot of talent to work with on the team, as four players – Kim Bryant, Barbara Farris, Mary Ann Marino and Christy Thomaskutty – scored over 1,000 points in their respective careers. Farris was a freshman that season, but she did not let the newness of college basketball hold her back. She averaged a team-high 15.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game that season. All four were major contributors to the team as they all averaged double-figures (Bryant – 12.8; Thomaskutty – 12.4; Marino – 11.2), but there was no selfishness among the group.
"None of it happens without your teammates," Farris said. "Nothing of this happens without the success of the people around you. We were always very aware of the fact that this did not just happen because of one player."
Farris might have burst onto the scene as a freshman, but she did not see herself as too good to need a mentor, and Bryant stepped into that position for her.
"Kim Bryant was always someone I looked up to and leaned on for guidance in games and in practice and balancing the academic and student life," Farris said. "She's got such a warm and nurturing personality anyway, and it didn't hurt that she was a stud on the court also. That gave her some credibility. She was walking it and talking it. I always looked up to her and tried to embody the kind of work ethic that Kim Bryant brought every day. Her professionalism was great too. Even if she wasn't playing, which she always was, she always had a great attitude and energy in practice. She never let us get down on ourselves."
Bryant's leadership was seen by all her teammates, not just the freshman.
"It was Kim," Marino said of Bryant. "She always worked hard. She was a blue-collar worker. She wasn't going to score the most points or make the super-duper highlight reel necessarily, but she would get down dirty and do what she needed to do with the team. She was not afraid to speak her mind or stand up for what the team might need to the coaches. I think everyone respected her."
Although the team was loaded with talent, the beginning of the season was not as smooth as they wanted. The second game of the year brought a 76-56 loss at Colorado State, and it was not taken lightly. The ensuing practice was memorable for the players.
"I remember we went to Colorado State for a tournament and we got killed in the championship game," Thomaskutty said. "I still attest, and I say it to Lisa, the altitude kicked our butt, but no excuses. They brought us back, they took us straight to the gym and they just ran our asses and just worked us. Then we got on a bus and went to Troy. I do believe that weekend was huge for us because we knew losing wasn't acceptable, no matter if the team is ranked or good or anything else."
The players also took the practice as a wake-up call for the standards of their new coaching staff.
"I remember Colorado was tough because of the altitude," Marino said. "We were dying, and they beat us good. We came back off the plane and had one of the hardest practices ever. We went right to the Reily Center and practiced for I don't know how long. It was just a tough, tough practice. Maybe that shifted our mindset as a team that we had to work a little harder if we wanted to experience the success we thought we could have."
As the calendar turned to January, the team started to click. They reeled off 10 wins in 12 games, including victories over three ranked teams (Southern Miss twice and Virginia Tech), along with a win at LSU. This stretch of victory showed the team that something was different this season.
"To go into LSU and win was big," Thomaskutty said. "Those were some of things where you saw our ability to respond and compete. We hit a lot of threes. We had a great balance of inside and outside with Barbara."
The team finished the regular season with three straight wins but fell in the semifinal round of the Metro Conference Tournament. The players knew they were not getting an automatic bid, but they did not let this shake their confidence.
"I knew we were an at-large bid," Farris said. "We knew we had some wins against some quality teams that might help our chances. I was just feeding off the excitement of everyone else. They had never been, and I just didn't know any different. I just thought that if everybody else thought we had a chance then maybe we did. I knew it was not a for sure thing. I was just hopeful. I guess I was young and naïve enough to not overthink it and not understand how heavy it was. Again, the focus was just day-to-day. I was just trying to get through practice and win the game."
The Green Wave were selected to the first NCAA Tournament in program history as a No. 15-seed and the challenge was huge. Tulane was matched up against the No. 5 team in the country and the No. 2-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The players from that team will always remember the trip to Lubbock, Texas.
"To this day, it is probably the most memorable athletic moment of my life," Thomaskutty said. "We fly to Lubbock to play. Our men are in the NCAA Tournament as well, so they have the band. We have a bunch of ROTC guys who said they can play instruments because they realized they got a free trip. We had like cowbells and triangles for the band. We were the second game. We were sitting in the stands watching the first game and there were no fans for the first two teams, but the place was packed. All the sudden, everyone stands up and it is roaring with applause because the Texas Tech players got up to go change. In that moment, I knew it was big time. That environment that night was amazing."
The arena was full, and Tulane was not expected to challenge the Red Raiders, but the Green Wave did not let this derail their focus.
"I just remember getting there and thinking 'what in the world'," Bryant said. "We were just focused on winning. I do remember walking out and it was packed. I don't think I had ever seen that many people at a women's game. I was just focused on the job at hand."
Farris echoed that sentiment.
"We were the lower seed and not picked to do well," Farris said. "We really just approached it like another game, except with more goodies."
Although the Green Wave were not supposed challenge Texas Tech, they did not let that stop them from working. The game was close deep into the second half until the Red Raiders pulled away late. Tulane fell 87-72 in Lubbock, but the impact on the women's basketball program had already been made.
"Our first NCAA Tournament team will always be special to me," Stockton said. "This group of young women welcomed a new staff and played their hearts out for us. We played very few players, seven or eight at most, and three were freshmen. Barbara Farris ruled the paint. Thomaskutty and Marino added great shooting, while we got our leadership from Kim Bryant. This team competed in a very tough Metro Conference. I think four teams went to NCAA Tournament that year. We opened NCAA with Texas Tech who was top 5. In front of a sold-out crowd in Lubbock, this team was within five points until the last six minutes of the game. This team set a standard for Tulane basketball that led to future conference championships and NCAA Tournaments."
The 1994-95 team was the first in Tulane history to make the NCAA Tournament and is a great source of pride for the players who were a part of it.
"Well, I still talk about it to this day," Bryant said of the team. "Everybody that I come in contact with, through the sport, I always talk about the Tulane program and the impact it had on my life. Being the first team to make it to the tournament was a huge deal, but the community and everything about being a part of that program has probably molded me into the person I am. Anybody that knows me will tell you that I will talk Tulane all day."
Stockton and this team set the standard for Tulane women's basketball. And they will forever be remembered as one of the greats.
"I was fortunate enough to be on the player committee when they were interviewing people initially," 1994-95 Tulane guard Mary Ann Marino said. "She was definitely the one we wanted. We were excited to get her in. What I really remember was that she was young and up and coming and thought she could take us to the next level. Prior to her arriving, we had made it to the NIT. We were excited."
Stockton was new to the Uptown campus, but that didn't mean she was willing to let the team lower their expectations for the upcoming season. The coaching staff had one focus on the court – winning – and the players responded.
"They were focused on winning," 1994-95 Tulane forward Kim Bryant said. "Everything was positive. As a team, I think we were all excited about where the program was going. I think the expectations were set. Her approach to the game was different. As a team, I think we were excited about the change and the future. We all got in the gym and worked hard. We not only wanted to improve our team, but we wanted to show them that we were the real deal and we were going to help them win."
Stockton had a lot of talent to work with on the team, as four players – Kim Bryant, Barbara Farris, Mary Ann Marino and Christy Thomaskutty – scored over 1,000 points in their respective careers. Farris was a freshman that season, but she did not let the newness of college basketball hold her back. She averaged a team-high 15.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game that season. All four were major contributors to the team as they all averaged double-figures (Bryant – 12.8; Thomaskutty – 12.4; Marino – 11.2), but there was no selfishness among the group.
"None of it happens without your teammates," Farris said. "Nothing of this happens without the success of the people around you. We were always very aware of the fact that this did not just happen because of one player."
Farris might have burst onto the scene as a freshman, but she did not see herself as too good to need a mentor, and Bryant stepped into that position for her.
"Kim Bryant was always someone I looked up to and leaned on for guidance in games and in practice and balancing the academic and student life," Farris said. "She's got such a warm and nurturing personality anyway, and it didn't hurt that she was a stud on the court also. That gave her some credibility. She was walking it and talking it. I always looked up to her and tried to embody the kind of work ethic that Kim Bryant brought every day. Her professionalism was great too. Even if she wasn't playing, which she always was, she always had a great attitude and energy in practice. She never let us get down on ourselves."
Bryant's leadership was seen by all her teammates, not just the freshman.
"It was Kim," Marino said of Bryant. "She always worked hard. She was a blue-collar worker. She wasn't going to score the most points or make the super-duper highlight reel necessarily, but she would get down dirty and do what she needed to do with the team. She was not afraid to speak her mind or stand up for what the team might need to the coaches. I think everyone respected her."
Although the team was loaded with talent, the beginning of the season was not as smooth as they wanted. The second game of the year brought a 76-56 loss at Colorado State, and it was not taken lightly. The ensuing practice was memorable for the players.
"I remember we went to Colorado State for a tournament and we got killed in the championship game," Thomaskutty said. "I still attest, and I say it to Lisa, the altitude kicked our butt, but no excuses. They brought us back, they took us straight to the gym and they just ran our asses and just worked us. Then we got on a bus and went to Troy. I do believe that weekend was huge for us because we knew losing wasn't acceptable, no matter if the team is ranked or good or anything else."
The players also took the practice as a wake-up call for the standards of their new coaching staff.
"I remember Colorado was tough because of the altitude," Marino said. "We were dying, and they beat us good. We came back off the plane and had one of the hardest practices ever. We went right to the Reily Center and practiced for I don't know how long. It was just a tough, tough practice. Maybe that shifted our mindset as a team that we had to work a little harder if we wanted to experience the success we thought we could have."
As the calendar turned to January, the team started to click. They reeled off 10 wins in 12 games, including victories over three ranked teams (Southern Miss twice and Virginia Tech), along with a win at LSU. This stretch of victory showed the team that something was different this season.
"To go into LSU and win was big," Thomaskutty said. "Those were some of things where you saw our ability to respond and compete. We hit a lot of threes. We had a great balance of inside and outside with Barbara."
The team finished the regular season with three straight wins but fell in the semifinal round of the Metro Conference Tournament. The players knew they were not getting an automatic bid, but they did not let this shake their confidence.
"I knew we were an at-large bid," Farris said. "We knew we had some wins against some quality teams that might help our chances. I was just feeding off the excitement of everyone else. They had never been, and I just didn't know any different. I just thought that if everybody else thought we had a chance then maybe we did. I knew it was not a for sure thing. I was just hopeful. I guess I was young and naïve enough to not overthink it and not understand how heavy it was. Again, the focus was just day-to-day. I was just trying to get through practice and win the game."
The Green Wave were selected to the first NCAA Tournament in program history as a No. 15-seed and the challenge was huge. Tulane was matched up against the No. 5 team in the country and the No. 2-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The players from that team will always remember the trip to Lubbock, Texas.
"To this day, it is probably the most memorable athletic moment of my life," Thomaskutty said. "We fly to Lubbock to play. Our men are in the NCAA Tournament as well, so they have the band. We have a bunch of ROTC guys who said they can play instruments because they realized they got a free trip. We had like cowbells and triangles for the band. We were the second game. We were sitting in the stands watching the first game and there were no fans for the first two teams, but the place was packed. All the sudden, everyone stands up and it is roaring with applause because the Texas Tech players got up to go change. In that moment, I knew it was big time. That environment that night was amazing."
The arena was full, and Tulane was not expected to challenge the Red Raiders, but the Green Wave did not let this derail their focus.
"I just remember getting there and thinking 'what in the world'," Bryant said. "We were just focused on winning. I do remember walking out and it was packed. I don't think I had ever seen that many people at a women's game. I was just focused on the job at hand."
Farris echoed that sentiment.
"We were the lower seed and not picked to do well," Farris said. "We really just approached it like another game, except with more goodies."
Although the Green Wave were not supposed challenge Texas Tech, they did not let that stop them from working. The game was close deep into the second half until the Red Raiders pulled away late. Tulane fell 87-72 in Lubbock, but the impact on the women's basketball program had already been made.
"Our first NCAA Tournament team will always be special to me," Stockton said. "This group of young women welcomed a new staff and played their hearts out for us. We played very few players, seven or eight at most, and three were freshmen. Barbara Farris ruled the paint. Thomaskutty and Marino added great shooting, while we got our leadership from Kim Bryant. This team competed in a very tough Metro Conference. I think four teams went to NCAA Tournament that year. We opened NCAA with Texas Tech who was top 5. In front of a sold-out crowd in Lubbock, this team was within five points until the last six minutes of the game. This team set a standard for Tulane basketball that led to future conference championships and NCAA Tournaments."
The 1994-95 team was the first in Tulane history to make the NCAA Tournament and is a great source of pride for the players who were a part of it.
"Well, I still talk about it to this day," Bryant said of the team. "Everybody that I come in contact with, through the sport, I always talk about the Tulane program and the impact it had on my life. Being the first team to make it to the tournament was a huge deal, but the community and everything about being a part of that program has probably molded me into the person I am. Anybody that knows me will tell you that I will talk Tulane all day."
Stockton and this team set the standard for Tulane women's basketball. And they will forever be remembered as one of the greats.
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