With so much attention focused on glamorous NCAA Division I programs such as Tennessee and Connecticut, it's sometimes easy to forget that a lot of great basketball is played at the NCAA's other two levels.

Hardin-Simmons University, in Abilene, Texas, has been one of the most successful programs in Division III in recent years, reaching the Sweet 16 four consecutive seasons. A primary reason for the Cowgirls' success has been the play of senior Kendra Anderson. The 5-9 power forward averaged 20.1 points and 10.0 rebounds this season and led the Cowgirls to a 27-1 record and their first-ever Division III No. 1 National ranking.

Last Friday, the team fell to Trinity last week in the Sweet Sixteen, 67-61, but Anderson went out with a bang. She poured in 33 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and five steals.

The Cowgirls' season may be over, but Anderson still has one more game to play. She's been chosen as the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/State Farm Division III Player of the Year and will play in the WBCA All-Star Challenge April 4 at the Division I Final Four in Atlanta, Ga. She'll be joined by 17 Division I All-Stars and the players of the year in Division II and NAIA.

"This is a great honor," Anderson said after her selection. "My teammates get all the credit because I couldn't have done anything without them. I look forward to playing against some of those Division I players. It's a dream come true."

Anderson has picked up several other honors this season, including being named the American Southwest Conference MVP for the third straight year. She was also named All-Region and will likely be named All-American at this week's Division III Final Four, and was also named Academic All-American.

Anderson spoke with Gball shortly before the game against Trinity last week.

Gball: How are the playoffs going so far?
Anderson: It's going well, especially right now. Our team has really come together, we're clicking, and things feel like they're working.

What's the difference between last year's team and this year's?
Just the fact that we have five seniors is a big difference. We've been together for four years, and can read each other really well. Having such strong leadership is important, too.

You have a new head coach this year, Shanna Briggs. What effect has this had on the team?
It's been a pretty easy transition. She's been following Cowgirl basketball forever, and she played here herself. She's such a great coach and hard worker that she's made the transition really seamless.

Did she change up the offense at all?
Most of our offenses were changed up, and we put in a lot of new defenses, too. But most of the philosophies are still the same.

How far has your game come since your high school days?
Really far, I'd say. Coming out of high school, you're really timid and you're not used to the speed of the game or the physical play at the college level. Getting used to that, and learning to be aggressive, really changes you as a player.

At the Division III level, how much time do you put on your sport year-round?
A lot. In the offseason, we lift weights and work out hard, and we play pickup games as much as we can. We put in a lot of time shooting, too. We play because we want to, and we do those things because we want to get better. We're not getting paid to do it.

What spurred you attend a Division III school? Were you recruited by Division I or II schools?
By some Division II schools, but not Division I. I picked Hardin-Simmons because of the campus and Coach [Julie] Goodenough, who was here my first three years.

What are the benefits of Division III basketball?
One major benefit is everyone is there because they want to be there, not because they have to do it to get an education. They all want to work hard to achieve the same goals.

Have you had thoughts of transferring up Divisions once you started having individual success in Division III?
Not really. We were so successful here as a team--we've been to the Sweet 16 several times--so my goals have been more for my team to move up, rather than myself. To do whatever we need to do to reach the next level, to make it to the Final Four or the national championship. That's where we're focusing.

You play power forward, but you're not all that tall for the position.
I'm 5-9, and very small compared to most of the people we play against. I have to make up for it in hustle and quickness. We play team ball, so our teammates are always helping out.

Are you mostly an inside player, or do you get outside the lane at all?
I get around the free-throw line sometimes, but I play mostly inside because that's how our offense is designed.

How old were you when you first started playing basketball?
About 10 or 11.

Did you play club basketball at all?
Actually, I didn't. I lived in a small town in West Texas, and there really wasn't anything that available to me. I played with my team and other surrounding teams in summer leagues, but I never was on a club team.

What's it like in West Texas?
It is dry and flat--that's about it. There aren't too many trees, but you can see the cotton fields in every direction.

Did you play other sports in high school?
I did it all. I played volleyball, ran track, and played softball.

Did playing those sports help your basketball game at all?
I think it helped me more as a person. I've had so many experiences in so many different areas, and that's been really helpful.

Who are some your favorite players? Have you patterned your game on any other players?
I love Michael Jordan, but you can't copy him. As far females, I actually look to the guards, such as Sue Bird. It's probably because I'm not a guard--they amaze me with the things they do and the passes they can make.

What do you do in your spare time?
Spare time--what is that? I don't do all that much, actually, since I'm student-teaching to try to finish up my degree. I'm a physical education major, and I want to be a coach, hopefully in college. So I'm going to go on when I get done here to get my master's.

Some good players have trouble adjusting to coaching, because they're so used to doing things themselves on the court. Have you coached at any level yet?
I've coached some summer league teams, but nothing else yet. I have a lot to learn in that area. You can't understand why players can't see what they're supposed to be doing.

Would you advise high schoolers who want to play in college to consider a Division III program?
I would. A lot of it is the small-town type of atmosphere. If they're from a small town or want to get into that environment, they can feel at home here. Our faculty is so supportive, and you get to know everyone on campus after awhile. Our students have been awesome this year, too, and they've been filling up our gym so it's been a lot of fun for us.

Looking ahead to the rest of the playoffs, are there other teams you're worried about facing?
When you get this far, every team is good. So you've got to prepare for everybody. Honestly, I don't think one game will be harder than another. We just have to come out and play as hard as we can because you never know what can happen.

You get a lot of the attention, but your teammates have really been stepping it up in the playoffs.
They're so good--that's why we are where we are this year.

Since it's last season for all you seniors, it must be a lot more pressure.
There's a little more motivation to leave it all out there, that's for sure. It'd be great to go out on top--that's the only way I won't be too sad about it being over.

Interview conducted by Gball Editor Jim Catalano.


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