Lady Stars shine during pink zone night
February 18, 2009
By Michael Omenazu
Sports Writer
On February 12, 2009, UIS faced off against conference foe Stephens College and breast cancer on Pink Zone night, in what the university calls an effort to “recognize breast cancer survivors and the importance of early detection.”
Tiffany Sproat gets double-teamed by two Stephens players. Photo by Christopher Izatt |
The Lady Prariestars beat Stephens College for a second time for their second straight conference win. Spurred by three players in double digits, Alex Blair and Tiffany Sproat scored 14 apiece and Erin Glogovosky added 12.
Starting the game with a 6-1 run, UIS jumped out to an early lead. Continuing the trend of hot starts and hot shooting from Blair, the Lady Prariestars opened the second half with 8 points from her on the way to 14-2 run and victory in a game in which they never trailed. The win improved their record to 5-18, and 3-7 within the conference.
While the court was filled with players wearing pink socks and observers in similar attire, the Recreational and Athletic Center hallway leading to the arena (where the team plays) was adorned with tables featuring display boards discussing the disease.
These tables offered pamphlets and pins that increased awareness on the topic. Each booklet brought additional statistics to the attention of those who passed by.
According to breastcancer.org, it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women as more than 1 in 4 cancers are located in the breasts. Also, “about 90% of breast cancers are due not to heredity, but to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general.”
While the organization asserts that 182,460 original cases are to be diagnosed, the issue is nothing new, specifically within the realm of women’s college basketball.
Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Famer, and breast cancer victim may be a few of the titles attributed to legendary women’s basketball coach Kay Yow. After a successful career which included 737 wins which is sixth most all-time among female head coaches, Yow suffered defeat to the disease passing away January 24th of this year at the age of 66.
UIS player LaKeshia Moore is also affected by breast cancer on a personal level. She commented, “The pink zone game meant a lot to me. I have had a close cousin of mine (Elaine Thomas) who has passed away due to breast cancer. Since she has passed away I have been following up on research and the awareness of breast cancer. Playing in the pink zone game made me feel a part of something I feel that if my cousin was still here with me now she would be proud that I support this cause.”
