Written by Dakota Ratley, ULM student
Aundrea Davis had more than doubled her scoring average from her junior season and served what head coach Jeff Dow described as a "spark plug" role for ULM.
“I just felt my knee pop and told myself 'this can't happen,'” Davis said when she went down with a knee injury in the final two minutes of ULM's game at Texas State. “When Coach Humphries and Mita [Patel, the trainer] came over, I just wanted to walk. If I could walk, I could play. I couldn't walk.”
Those words had Davis choked up in her interview about it less than 48 hours after that fateful play. By the following Tuesday, the diagnosis was a torn ACL and meniscus. Her college career met its end just 54 miles from where her love for basketball began.
“Honestly I don't think I've ever had a player go out like that,” Dow said. “I would have to rack my brain to think of it, especially that close to the end too.”
Davis grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and did not compete in organized basketball until middle school. Davis cites her brothers as an influence for her to get involved in the sport. Her older brother, Marcus, played basketball at Angelo State for two years.
She spent the first two years of her collegiate career in Wilburton, Okla., at Eastern Oklahoma State University. Davis improved her skills with the Mountaineers before moving on to Monroe to play for the Warhawks.
She put up 64 assists her junior year while starting 23 of the team's 29 games. She also pressured ball handlers, averaging a steal a game. She was on the same track her senior season, producing 29 steals in just 24 games.
“I just knew that I didn't want to regret anything my senior year so I just going to leave it all out there,” she said.
The effort the team has shown is apparent. Journee Beard is Davis' roommate. The junior can be found in the backcourt with Davis or taking over the point while Davis takes a breather. Beard said that the team has put a lot of effort in this season, especially Davis.
“We are all trying to make the tournament. That's our goal. She played with heart every single game,” Beard said.
Davis would consider her career a success. She said having fun was one of her main goals throughout her college career as opposed to individual stats and awards. Davis will give every bit of support she can from here on out.
“I have to adjust to a different role on the bench, but I'm doing okay,” she said. “I'm just trying to look at all the good things and stay positive.”
Davis is considering veterinary school upon receiving her ULM diploma.
