(Editor's note: Stanford junior center/forward Carolyn Moos will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season. For more on the Cardinal, visit Stanford's official athletic site.)

Feb. 15, 2000

Our team was not as aggressive (at Oregon) as we need to be in order to be successful. This week we really need to dig down and find the rebounding and defense it will take to be competitive.

	Moos

If we really concentrate in those areas it will help us focus down the road. The crowd was not a factor in terms of affecting our psychological states of mind. I have talked to other teammates about this and we all feel like, if anything, it is motivating to hear people boo you.

The only difficulties we might have faced in such loud situations is communicating, as the noise level at times gets in the way of talking to each other. However, we have made more hand signals and continue to practice time and score situations in order to better prepare us for the times when communication may be a bit hampered.

The pit really packs some people in. I wouldn't say it is tough, but more unique. I think players know what to expect when they go there after they have played there once. If you know what to expect then there is no reason the atmosphere should affect your game plan, because appropriate preparations are made in accordance to those expectations.

Oregon State was a must-win for our team. It was a good win and we needed it in order to get back on track.

Jamie Carey (freshman guard) is a steady leader in her own way as a freshman -- and that is huge. She tends to be positive and talks well, which is integral as a floor leader. Every team that is successful has people with positive energy and competitive attitudes. Jamie is an example of one of these people.

On Golden Bears and hungry lions
Cal will definitely come out ready to play. There is a quote that Tara (VanDerveer, head coach) refers to often that holds to be true: "The hungry lion hunts best" (Shakespeare). And I know Cal is searching for a feast.

One of the areas we really need to focus on is rebounding and that is what Cal does well. It will be a good challenge for our team to really concentrate and execute in that area on Friday. We need to play good defense and rebound.

	THE FULL DOSE OF DIARIES
	UCLA's Maylana Martin: Too many mistakes
	UCSB's Erin Buescher: A grab bag of goodies
	Oregon's Shaquala Williams: Keeping things in perspective

I am not surprised at how tight the race is in the Pac-10 in the sense that players and teams are getting better. But I am disappointed in our standing in the Pac-10, as I believe we can play better and I know that there are specific things we need to work on and execute in order to be successful.

Down the stretch, the teams that are mentally and physically prepared and excited about playing -- coming out with intensity and a will to win -- are going to be successful.

It is one thing to talk and another to do.

With that note I will just say that today it's going to be a great, intense practice. That is what it is going to take -- one day at a time, steady and consistent effort.

Future hoop dreams
Looking toward the future, I have to admit that basketball is really something that has become such a large part of my life -- not as if I don't have many dimensions to my identification of self -- but I would like to play down the road.

I have so much to improve on, and I can't wait until this spring and summer to really concentrate on improving specific things -- getting in the weight room even more, etc. I would like to be able to work hard enough in order to make playing in the future a reality.

Beyond basketball, I am interested in media -- in particular television. Tentatively, I think I would like to do sports broadcasting, although the entertainment arena is also interesting. I also enjoy writing, so maybe working for a magazine would be an option.

I plan on majoring in communications and sociology. I may take another year to do more academic work, while still training. Other interests I have are sports psychology (I contemplated majoring in psychology) and sports physiology. I also enjoy designing (clothes and interior design) and I am interested in possibly working for an athletic clothing company such as Nike (I know there is room for more clothing that fits tall or broad-shouldered athletes, etc.).

I will work really hard and hopefully have some doors open and opportunities arise.