TCU's leading scorer Natasha Lacy is transferring from TCU to UTEP. Here's the Miners' press release on Lacy.

Although I don't cover them directly, I saw signs of trouble brewing with Lacy during the 2005-06 women's basketball season. She inexplicably didn't start the game before the TCU took on the Lobos in The Pit. She started against New Mexico and coach Jeff Mittie didn't say anything about why he opted to bench Lacy. I didn't explore it too much because my focus at the time really was the Lobos, and she had led the team in scoring during the game she came off the bench.
Then came the much bigger alarms, when Lacy did not play for TCU in the NCAA Tournament for personal reasons. I never really saw anyone explain exactly what happened.
Now she's headed back to El Paso, where was born and raised by her mom Lacy's dad died when she was 8 years old. The move also will put Lacy closer to a sister who lives in Albuquerque.
Lacy is extremely talented but she always has been a bit of wild card.
She jumped from El Paso's Andress to Montwood High, a move rumored to be spurred by lack of playing time. Lacy answered questions about her attitude by displaying tremendous talent on the court and excelling for three seasons on Montwood's varsity girls basketball team.
Lacy told the El Paso Times she didn't plan on staying at TCU and opted for UTEP because she was homesick. Here's the Times' article on Lacy's decision.
It will be interesting to see what the next chapter of her basketball life brings. Of course, she will have to sit out one season under transfer rules before we find out whether she can translate talent into sustained success.

Posted by ilimon at 12:37 PM | Permalink