Jan. 13, 2005

FAU forward DeKesh Frazier and former NBA star Dennis Rodman have a lot in common. Both played basketball in Michigan, Frazier in her hometown of Kalamazoo; Rodman for Frazier's favorite team, the Detroit Pistons.

Both face(d) much taller opposition at their positions. Frazier is listed at 5-10 but constantly finds herself in the low post next to players with many inches of height advantage. Rodman, at 6-6, was a highly undersized power forward in the NBA.

Finally, both are superb rebounders of the ball, passionate about the task of grabbing missed shots that carom off the rim, the backboard, or both.

"I love to rebound," said Frazier, who leads the Owls with 6.0 rebounds game, ranking her 18th in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

"It's a natural, timing thing for me. I can let people jump first, but I know I'm going to get the ball. I get underestimated. Bigger players think that they don't need to box me out because I'm usually shorter than the post players. Even if they do, I'm still going to get the rebound."

Frazier began her basketball career in the third grade, playing on her backyard court with her dad, before progressing to her elementary school team in fourth grade and numerous organized youth leagues after that.

As part of the Kalamazoo High School program, Frazier formed part of the team's "Twin Towers" with a teammate and showed enough promise to garner attention from four-year schools. Instead, she decided to begin her collegiate career, as her two senior teammates at FAU did, at junior college.

"I chose junior college because I didn't want to sit out my first year," said Frazier. "I wanted to play right away. I can't sit and watch other people play."

Frazier also wanted to get out of Michigan and so she ended up at Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, Illinois. There she teamed up with current Oklahoma State Cowgirl Nina Stone and took the Warriors to a fifth-place finish in the 2003 NJCAA Division I National Championships.

"There's a lot of talent in JC," says Frazier.

"I think some Division I schools don't take their opportunity to look at junior college athletes. My experience was great."

At a Kansas jamboree before her sophomore season, Frazier was spotted by Owls' assistant coach Natalie Glaser and the two discussed her plans. Frazier was flattered, but wanted to wait until after the season to commit to anything as she knew there would be numerous scouts at the national championships.

"I'd never heard of FAU," said Frazier. "I visited other places but the coaches were the reason I came here. Coach Dugan was straight with me, was honest on and off the court, and that's what caught my eye."

Frazier came to FAU in the summer of 2003 and immediately grew a liking to South Florida, despite the heat.

The 2003-04 season saw her contribute off the bat for the Owls, playing over 17 minutes a game and finishing fourth on the team with 4.6rpg. This season, she has seen her minutes jump to 25.8 per game.

"I made a commitment to myself this year that I was going to lead the team in rebounds, and I'm doing that so far," said Frazier.

"You've got to have `it'. `It's got to be in you. You have to have the mindset of `I'm getting all the rebounds'."

Her rebounding idol, Ben Wallace, won a title with the Pistons last year and Frazier thinks that the Lady Owls are not far away from a title of their own.

"This team is real good," said Frazier.

"Every weapon you can have on a basketball team is here. When we get everyone agreeing with what coach Dugan says, no one is going to be able to stop us."

Frazier and her fellow Lady Owls begin a two-game road trip tonight in North Carolina when they take on a new-look Gardner-Webb team at 7:00pm. The Bulldogs enter the game 5-6 overall and 3-2 in the A-Sun. They have already equaled their win total from all of last year. The trip concludes Saturday when the Lady Owls take on Campbell at 1:00pm. Both game can be heard live on WLVJ 1040-AM and www.fausports.com.