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Senior forward Goodwine getting better with age

By Craig Broadman     11/7/16 8:52pm

With less than a second remaining in in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament and Rice clinging to a 61-60 lead over Louisiana Tech University, senior forward Jasmine Goodwine fouled Brooke Pumroy on a fadeaway jumper, sending the Lady Techsters’ shooting guard to the free throw line with a chance to win the game. It was a potentially season-ending mistake for Rice, as Pumroy had an 88 percent free throw percentage at the time. Goodwine said she thought she had lost the game for her team.

“I was so devastated at that moment,” Goodwine said. “I got really down, but my teammates and some of the coaches were like, ‘No, keep your mind in the game. It’s not over!’”

Pumroy made her first free throw and narrowly missed on the next one, sending the game into overtime where Rice took control. With the score tied at 66 apiece, Goodwine converted consecutive layups and Rice never looked back en route to a 72-67 win. It was a storybook ending for Goodwine, who erased her mistake with the clutch overtime performance.



Goodwine said she doesn’t consider the go-ahead layup her most memorable moment at Rice, but rather the support she received after committing the crucial foul.

“It was a huge moment for my teammates and my coaches to still have confidence in me after a mistake like that,” Goodwine said, “It meant so much to me. The fact that we were able to come together, win the game and move on to the second round – that probably was my most memorable moment here.”

Never looking to take the spotlight, Goodwine said she tries not to think of herself during games, but rather what the team needs.

“My goal is to be the best teammate I can be whether it’s scoring, rebounding, talking or encouraging,” Goodwine said, “I just think putting other people before [my own] goals and serving other people first is how I view [my role].”

As much as Goodwine refuses to talk about it, she is a key producer on this Owls team, leading in scoring (12.5 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg) and blocks (0.6 bpg) while recording three double-doubles and playing in all 31 games last season.

Goodwine’s unselfish attitude and strong play is a major reason why the Owls had such a smooth transition when changing head coaches. Although there is no official captain, Goodwine said she takes pride in her leadership skills.

“I consider myself a leader because I’m a senior and I’ve been in this program for two years with the new coaches and the new systems,” Goodwine said, “As a team, we try not to label people as captains but I try to lead as much as I can”

This season, Goodwine will be looking to lead her team deeper in the Conference USA tournament in her final year on the basketball team, while savoring every minute of this season.

“It feels weird that this is my last season,” Goodwine said, “I’m really just appreciating every single day that I have now.”

However, Goodwine has acknowledged that her post-graduation life will ideally involve basketball in some way. Ever since her elementary school days, when her grandmother, a high school basketball coach, brought her to watch practices, Goodwine has acquired a love for the game that she said will never go away.

“I will always find a way to be around the game,” Goodwine said.  



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