(Editor's note: Mississippi State sophomore LaToya Thomas, a Kodak All-American who on Jan. 11 became the second fastest player in SEC history to reach 1,000 points (46 games), will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season.)

Jan. 31, 2001

	Thomas

Well, last week was the worst for me. It all started Wednesday morning when I got up for class and my throat was sore and my stomach was aching. I attended class, but after that I had to go to the Health Center. I was feeling really sick and weak. I thought I was going to be ready for practice, but I couldn't stick it out. The doctor examined me and diagnosed me with a viral infection. I felt horrible. I couldn't hold anything in my stomach.

I missed practice Wednesday, but I made the trip to Auburn. Against the Tigers on Thursday, I played only 25 minutes. Auburn played tough and pulled out the victory. Friday, I was still feeling sick so I had to go back to the Health Center. The doctor told me to get some rest.

By the time we left for Baton Rouge on Saturday, I was finally feeling much better, but we suffered another loss. The LSU Tigers played hard and also pulled out the win against us. I was able to play 34 minutes in that game but was still pretty worn out.

This week, we play Mississippi, which is a big game for the team and our fans -- playing the Rebels is like playing your high-school rival. Mississippi has a talented team that plays hard, and this game is huge for us because we need the win and it is a conference game. I know the Rebels are going to play us tough because they want revenge for the last time we played at Tad Smith Coliseum.

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They are very tough because they have a lot of chemistry and a hard work ethic. I played AAU ball with their two point guards (Chandra Dorsey and Sherika Wright). Sherika is a complete player: She can drive, shoot and dish it off to an open player. She is also very quick to the bucket and is good at getting defensive and offensive rebounds. Chandra is one of my best friends. She is also a quick player who loves to play the game. The summer we played together was fun because we were unstoppable.

The Southeastern Conference is one of the toughest conferences in college basketball. The SEC has a lot of talented players. I love playing in the SEC because of the challenge. There are a lot of good teams that could beat anyone on any night. I also like playing in the SEC because I get to play against some of the best players in the country and I know they will make me a better player on the next level.

I am glad to be coming back home and playing in front of our fans again. We have played five of our eight SEC games so far this season on the road, and it's good to be back in Starkvegas. We will be at home for three straight conference games against Mississippi, Georgia, and Vanderbilt. I can't wait to play again.

Off the court
My classes are challenging this semester, especially since we have been traveling so much. This semester I'm going to have to catch up on a lot of work because of the limited days we are here. I have classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon, and on Tuesday and Thursday beginning at 8 a.m. My classes have been going well so far, but I have missed a lot of my Thursday classes due to travel. I am hoping to pull my GPA up to a 3.0 after this semester. I am working hard to do this.

During my free time, I try to get a lot of rest, wash clothes, talk on the phone to my family and just chill. Sometimes me and some of my teammates kick it. I try to get a lot of my class work done in my spare time, too. We don't have a lot of free time because of traveling and practicing.

My favorite movie is The Original Kings of Comedy. That was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. It was so funny I had tears in my eyes at the movie theater. There are four comedians and one was hosting it, and they have been around the comedy business for a long time: Ced "the entertainer," Steve Harvey, D. L. Hughley, and my boy, Bernie Mack, who was the best comedian in the movie. Ced "the entertainer" was great also.

I'm out, Tido