Things were looking pretty good this year for Arizona guard Krista Warren--until March 3. That's when the 6-2 sophomore tore her ACL against Oregon, ending her season.

Before the injury, Warren had become a significant contributor to the Wildcats and a full-time starter, averaging 9.3 ppg and 5.4 rpg. Strong inside, yet able to handle it on the perimeter, Warren had made significant strides from the 1999-00 campaign, when she was a key role player.

A graduate of Cloverdale High School, in California, Warren was the 1999 California Division IV Player of the Year. As a senior, she averaged 30.5 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 2.7 assists and 2.4 blocks per game. Also a volleyball standout, she was a first-team all-league selection each of her four years and was league MVP her final two years. She was also a four-time All-North Coast Section Scholar-Athlete.

Warren is scheduled for surgery March 29 but has been strengthening her leg in the interim, the better to speed her rehabilitation. She took a few minutes from her travels on the exercise bike to speak with GBall.

How does your knee feel now?
I feel like I can go out there and play. I feel like they could throw a brace on it, and I could go.

How did it happen?
I just came to a jump stop, and it went. I watched it on tape, and it was the exact same move I had done earlier, and it didn't hurt then. When I tore the ACL, I hadn't felt anything like that before.

What are you doing now to prepare for your surgery?
I'm doing leg lifts and other exercises to strengthen my leg. I'm lifting weights. I want to make this leg stronger, so I'll come back faster after the surgery.

Are you anxious about the operation?
I want to do it and hurry up and get back to playing. I'm sitting in a chair, watching my teammates practice, and I want to get subbed in, so I can take part in the scrimmages.

How do you think you'll respond to your injury and the rehab?
I'm going to come out of it stronger than when I went into it. When I'm done with rehab, my muscles will be stronger. I think it will make my leg stronger, but it stinks that I have to go through it.

Has it been hard sitting out and watching your team play games?
It's been very frustrating. We were one game away from making the NCAA tournament, and I wanted to go in and help us. It's easier during practice, because I'm rehabbing, so I'm busy. But when the team was down in games, I could only yell and scream. I couldn't really help.

After being a role player last year, you made the starting line up this year. What did you feel you needed to do before this past season to get better?
I needed to get strong all around. I had had a pretty good year, but I wanted to be one of the team's main players and a consistent player this year.

How did you accomplish that?
During last off-season, my roommate, Jamie Sturdivant, and I went to the University of the Pacific, where her uncle helps coach the men's team. We played with the guys and went to summer school at a nearby junior college.

How does playing with guys help?
It makes you stronger. They are naturally more physically stronger than we are, so they push you around harder than a girl does. I got used to that, so when I came back to Arizona, I was pushing people around as much as they were pushing me.

Why did you choose to go to Arizona?
I wanted to get out of California, and Arizona was by far my best recruiting trip. But I want to move back to California when I'm done here. I just wanted to experience a different atmosphere.

How tough was it for Arizona to come so close to making the NCAA tournament but not get there? (The Wildcats will play in the NIT.)
We were disappointed in ourselves. We know we should have been in the tournament. It's frustrating going into the NIT. We want to prove that we should be in the tournament, so we're going to try to take it out on people in the NIT.

What parts of your game do you hope to improve on for next season?
I want to become a better shooter. The coaches feel I have it in me, but I have to work on it.

Does it help to be a taller guard?
It gives the coaches more ways to use me. They can move me down low on a smaller defender, and I can post her up.

Are you optimistic you'll be able to overcome the surgery and rehab process?
I have no clue how it's going to go. But I am going to get through this and become stronger.

Interview conducted by Michael Bradley.


Check out last year's q&a's by clicking here