ESPN

The ShowGirl

  (12:56 PM)

Welcome to The Show! Jessica Davenport will be here shortly. Send in your questions and comments now!

Jessica Davenport

  (12:58 PM)

Hello everybody, I'm ready to answer your questions.

Ralph (Nashua, NH)

Is shot-blocking an underrated skill, or just something that you find comes naturally? Do you work on keeping blocks in play, footwork, etc?

Jessica Davenport

  (12:59 PM)

I work on it everyday, when I first get into practice. Coach teaches us the correct way to block shots, but it's just something that comes naturally.

Ollie (Seattle)

You played a ton of minutes last season, especially at the end of the year. Do you have to focus on conditioning even more than most players in the offseason, knowing you're going to be out there all 40 minutes a lot of the time?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:01 PM)

I think that comes with reps in practice, we don't have extra guys so we work really hard and we're out there in practice getting a lot of reps. So, being ready for the minutes in the games just comes with that. I know before the game that that's just what I'm going to have to do.

David (Boston)

Although you're only a junior, do you feel any extra responsibility to be a leader now that Caity Matter has graduated?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:02 PM)

I think so. We have a lot of players coming back, but me being one of the leaders on the team, I have to be a little more vocal and I have to step up to cover some of the slack that Caity Matter is leaving.

Kent, Ohio

Hey Jessica! Good luck this season. Who do you think will be the player on the team that will have a break-through season and suprise some people?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:04 PM)

Umm, I'd have to say Kim Wilburn. She's a senior this year, she's been our point guard for awhile and I think she is really focussed this year to go out there and really have a dominant season.

Jessica (columbus, oh)

Since Michigan stinks in basketball, who is your biggest rival in Big10? And, are you hoping Michigan develops its program soon to compete with you guys and add to the rivalry?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:06 PM)

(laughs) I think Michigan State is probably our biggest rival since we tied for first in the conference last year. They are a powerhouse. And Michigan has a good team, they lost a lot of people last year so they are rebuilding a little bit, but I think they will be pretty competitive also.

Aaron (Columbus, Ohio)

Are you excited about getting to play teams like LSU and some of the bigger "powerhouses" in Columbus this season?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:09 PM)

Yes, LSU has two great players in Silvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus . That will be a great day for us and women's basketball. We know that being able to play the top teams in the country will only make us better.

Armondo Houston, TX

Hey Jessica! I was just wondering how do you fill about your team being picked to make the trip to the final four this season? And what new things have you worked on to help make your big game even BIGGER?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:10 PM)

It's pretty nice to be expected to do well in the preseason, but, we haven't even played a game yet, so all we can do right now is hope that by the end of the season, we can make those predictions a reality.

Jessica Davenport

  (1:11 PM)

As for the big game. I have been working on high post shots and knowing what moves to make on different defenses, and i've also been working on passing the ball. Just making sure I find the open player.

Columbus, Ohio

What is it about coach Foster that makes this team work so well together?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:13 PM)

Offensively, he makes you realize what is the best shot for you and what your game really is. Defensively, we really work on communication and he harps on our responsibilities and the awareness of what we each need to do.

Peter (Chicago)

Keep up the great work Jess! Wondering who is your team's class clown?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:15 PM)

I think we all have a little bit of clown in us, we have a lot of jokesters. It's hard to name just one but Ashley Allen or maybe Steph Blanton are probably the top two.

Ohio

What was your favorite game of the year last season and why?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:16 PM)

Probably the Penn State game for the Big Ten championship on our home floor -- it was senior night and we were here on our home floor, plus we had to win that game to get a piece of the championship. That was my favorite game of last season.

Karen (Oxford, OH)

Have Katie Smith or any other alums talked to you about finishing what they started by bringing a national title to Ohio State? Are they around the team at all?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:17 PM)

Actually, Katie Smith is around a lot, we probably see her three or four times a week. She stops in at practice. The alums aren't around to tell us to bring back their glory days, they aren't reminiscing, but they are proud of what we are doing. They are excited to see the program on a winning track and they are always giving us advice to help us out any way they can.

Adam (St. Paul, MN)

What kind of music do you listen to before a game? Who has the worst musical taste on the team? Anyone that has to be banned from the stereo?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:19 PM)

Well, usually I listen to rap and RandB before the game. We usually don't let the people who like country music touch the stereo before the game. (laughs) This year, it's Stephanie, she likes country. We keep her away from the stereo before a game.

Pete (Windsor, CT)

How much has it helped your game to have former UConn star Tamika Williams on the coaching staff? Anything in particular she's helped you with in the post?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:21 PM)

She has helped a lot because she plays in the the WNBA currently and that helps a lot when you have a coach who is still playing. I personally am often taller than most of my opponents and she can relate to that and help me with my options as this type of player. She is able to offer me suggestions both vocally and actually demonstrating moves and ideas and suggestions. She has been a great help to my game.

Diana (San Jose)

How much are you looking forward to matching up with Sylvia Fowles when LSU comes to visit in December? Could that be a battle of the centers for the 2012 Olympics?!

Jessica Davenport

  (1:23 PM)

I think that will be a great learning experience to play against somebody like Syliva who is so talented ... but, as far as the 2012 Olympics, I'm not sure about that, I'm not really looking that far ahead (laughs) but you never know!

Thomas (New Haven, CT)

Is Debbie Black as intense as an assistant coach as she was as a player in the WNBA? Have you caught her diving for any loose balls yet?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:25 PM)

Debbie Black is definitely one of the most energetic people in the gym. We have a drill call 'handle' that we do in practice everyday to work on ball handling and Debbie is always out there running it with us ... and she has been known to take a few charges against some of the bigger people on the team. I'm sure it hurts. That's Debbie!

Owen (Storrs)

Jess, can you talk about some of your personal goals for this season?

Jessica Davenport

  (1:26 PM)

I just want to get better everyday and make sure my team gets better every day. I want to win as many games as we can and if we take it one game and one day at a time, I think we'll be successful at the end of the season.

Jessica Davenport

  (1:27 PM)

Thanks everybody for logging on to the chat today. Hopefully I'll see you out there at a game!