"I think that would mean a lot to me," Bowers revealed. A feat that, above all else, depicts consistency and is one of the highest individual accomplishments a player can boast. Bowers enters today's contest against fourth-ranked Baylor just 81 points shy of a milestone: scoring her 1,000th career point. The by-product of such efforts is the number 919. She has shot better than 45 percent from the floor and has a 35 percent mark from three-point range in her career at Texas, while averaging 7.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game throughout. Her scoring ability still remains a consistent trademark. ![]() Yet, make no mistake, Bowers' three-point ability, knack to attack the basket and tack points up on the board haven't fallen by the way side. She has embraced whatever role given to her and that is really a true sign of leadership." "Both from a player's and coach's perspective, she has been one of the best. "The one thing about Kala is that she is a winner," associate head coach Karen Aston remarked. ![]() But what seems apparent with Bowers is a willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team reach the ultimate goal. In many instances, a transition from prolific scorer to dominant defender is challenging and, sometimes, not easily done. It amazing because she has always had the most difficult defensive assignments." "There's no question that the biggest thing that she has brought to our team is a highlight reel of big defensive plays that she has made over the years. "Kala is always drawing the tough defensive assignments," assistant coach Kathy Harston said. It didn't take long for Bowers to evolve into one of UT's top defensive specialists. Kala caught on quickly and, before long was accepting some of the toughest assignments in Conradt's trademark man-to-man defensive system. She worked hard on her footwork and spent countless hours in the weight room training to help her gain strength and quickness. For Kala, it meant more selective scoring and strong defense. She was unstoppable on the offensive end, catching the eye of major college recruiters and earning Oklahoma HS Basketball Player of the Year honors in 2001.Īlthough offensively dominant to the tune of helping her Woodward team to a 79-3 record in her finals three years, Bowers - with the aid of her Texas coaches - understood the need for a more balanced attack at the collegiate level. The tall, slender Oklahoma native had regularly posted almost 20 points a night as a senior at Woodward HS in Woodward, Okla. After that game, I knew I was comfortable on the floor."īut, for Bowers, the individual showcase performance was nothing out of the ordinary. "Up until that point, I was still trying to find myself as a freshman. "That was definitely the game I remember most clearly," Bowers stated. She exploded for a game-high 22 points - most on twisting, driving layups in transition or off steals - and helped lead the Longhorns to their first victory over the Volunteers in their last 14 tries. Jody Conradt's 18th-ranked Longhorns shared the game stage with Pat Summitt's third-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols and Bowers, an 18-year old college freshman, stole the spotlight from the pair of Hall of Fame coaches. 12, 2002 marked the date on which six-foot, two-inch swing-player Kala Bowers made her first, most memorable impact on Texas women's basketball.
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