By: Dick Allen Special Correspondent<\/strong><\/p>\n Photos By: James Schubert Pro Image Sports Photography<\/strong><\/p>\n Or\u00a0was that stare her recalling the most hurtful two losses\u00a0that\u00a0the Eagle women\u00a0endured during her illustrious career. The first was two years ago, the overtime loss in Tallahassee\u00a0to #5 seed St. Bonaventure. Don’t forget it was the women who became the\u00a0first<\/strong>\u00a0NCAA basketball team to qualify for the big dance. They had what appeared to be an insurmountable 11 point lead, but lost the game in overtime after not being able to get a final shot off in regulation to win.\u00a0Then\u00a0there was last year’s Atlantic Sun Championship game. The team came in undefeated and were expected to win and receive the automatic bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament.\u00a0 Eligible for only two years, they were looking forward to making a return visit.\u00a0However,\u00a0Stetson had different plans. Overcoming\u00a0a 15 point FGCU lead, Stetson won the game\u00a0and the Eagles didn’t dance.<\/p>\n Coach Smesko was the next to appear from the locker room.\u00a0As he\u00a0past\u00a0his star player, he simply nodded.\u00a0# 5, Sarah Hansen\u00a0put her Game Face on. Let’s dance!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/JC20205-214x300.jpg\" "\\"_JC20205\\"")
There she sat in the middle of the bench, all alone, about 45 minutes before game time. There were no teammates, no coaches, and\u00a0a nearly empty Mackey Arena. At times her face showed that girlish whimsical smile that has captured the hearts of so many fans. Then that smile turned into that\u00a0all to famous “Game Face” of hers. Hardened, rather frightening, but mostly a determined stare. One can only wonder what was racing through her mind as she sat there. Was she recalling the day she said yes to Coach Smesko, “I’ll come to FGCU”. Or was it all of the accolades, awards, 4 straight conference titles, the wins over Michigan State and LSU, undefeated season’s, the friendships, and what she fondly refers to as\u00a0“My Eagle family, I love them”.\u00a0Or could it\u00a0even be her unbelievable achievements in the classroom, a\u00a03.8 GPA in chemistry!\u00a0Yes, that’s right\u00a0people, in\u00a0chemistry.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/JC20201-300x214.jpg\" "\\"_JC20201\\"")
But this is a new day. After all,\u00a0it is the anniversary to the exact day that last year the 15th seeded Men’s basketball team upset the\u00a02nd seeded\u00a0Georgetown\u00a0 Hoya’s. “DUNK\u00a0CITY”<\/strong>\u00a0was born and\u00a0had captivated the imagination of the nation’s basketball junkies. The Sweet 16, the ESPY, that single weekend changed FGCU\u00a0basketball\u00a0forever. And now,\u00a0I’ll just bet, that smile of hers\u00a0is\u00a0seeing in her mind\u2019s eye – that’s it’s NOW the women’s turn.<\/p>\n