Feb. 12, 2003

ABILENE, Texas - Senior KraTaura Buckner sat down for a quick question and answer session. Buckner is a solid starter for the Cowgirls by averaging 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Buckner's best game of the season was at home against Schreiner where she set a personal career record of 22 points in a game and hit nine field goals. Let's see what her thoughts are:

How do you think Coach Briggs is dealing with her first year coaching at Hardin-Simmons? I think she is handling it pretty well. She has made the transition from high school to college coaching look pretty easy. She had a lot of help from the staff members here and us (the players).

How is this year's team different from your last three year's playing at Hardin-Simmons? I don't think this year's team is a lot different. Of course there are different people but we all work hard and we seem to be a lot closer.

Are you a team player or a leader on the team? I feel I am both. I am not a vocal leader on the team but I try to lead by example. As for being a team player, I do what I can to help my teammates out.

What are your strengths on the court? I will have to say definitely defense. I always try to stop the girl I am guarding from driving, passing or scoring.

What do you concentrate on during a game? I concentrate on many things such as defense, running the floor by giving the post a good pass, and making sure we do not turnover the ball.

What gets you motivated before or during a game? I like to crack jokes and dance to pump myself up. Just being around my teammates is exciting and everyone has a lot of fun.

How do you feel about conference action so far? Each game gets tough because the other schools are getting better but we do what we can to win the game. I have a feeling we can go undefeated in conference action this year.

Which ASC schools are HSU's competition for the playoffs? I feel Howard Payne is our main competition this year. Even though they have already lost two conference games this year so far, they are a team who can come back and push themselves to win more games. They never settle for second best.

Are you meeting your personal goals you set in the beginning of the season? . Yes, I feel I have met my personal goals for this year even though there is always room for improvement.

What is your favorite memory about playing at Hardin-Simmons? My favorite memory is beating Mary Hardin-Baylor for the conference championship my sophomore year.

How is balancing being a student-athlete during basketball season? I will say your first year is hard adjusting to the different schedule, but it is manageable and you get used to it year after year. The professors work well with you to help you get caught up.

What are your plans after Hardin-Simmons? I plan to graduate and then go to graduate school somewhere. I would like to be a junior high, high school, or even college basketball coach.