(Editor's note: Oregon sophomore guard Shaquala Williams will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season. For more information on the Ducks, visit Oregon's official athletic site.)

Feb. 23, 2000

	Williams

Last weekend was a great one for our team. We did not play well in either game, but we still managed to pull out wins. Still, we cannot be satisfied. We have to keep wanting to get better.

UW was a really fun game, both on the floor and from the bench. I could not believe the foul they called on me for my fifth, but thats the road (Williams fouled out -- for the first time in her career -- with 6:50 to play). I was really proud of my teammates, though. They stuck with it and pulled it out.

Everybody hit shots, but (senior guard) Nicole Strange was huge, she sat like 15 minutes straight and came off the bench to hit big shots. I was going crazy on the bench, I thought I was going to have a heart attack or something. It was fun to be supportive from the bench, but next time I'd rather be on the floor. Most the time I try to play it cool when we win, but this time I had to go crazy, and I was so tired after the game, more from celebrating than playing.

Shaquala in Seattle
Seattle was the best trip so far this year, not because of the food or shopping, but because I got to be around my family. I'm so comfortable with them because I can be myself, and I don't have to put on some front and act the way others want me to.

Around my family, I'm just Shaquala or Quala, not Shaq the basketball player. Plus, I finally got to eat some real food, too. My brother cooked some soul food and I got to just grub. All we ever get to eat on the road is pasta and sandwiches. I know it's good for you, but a sista needs some grease every now and then.

My family is so real; they dont just sit at the games and be quiet, they are crazy. Its embarrassing sometimes, but its soothing, because I know someone is there for me. My mom was going back and forth with the UW band because after I fouled out, they were on me, and she did not like them talking to me. Despite her size -- she's 4-foot-11 -- she is a ball of fire. She's crazy and will not stand for anybody messing with me. But it was fun to see all of my family this weekend. They made the weekend even more enjoyable.

This week is huge. We have UCLA first and then USC. It is always fun to play them. The Bruins are going to want revenge after we beat them there, and they want to jump ahead in the standings so we are going to have to play our best. USC is the opposite. We owe the Trojans a game for beating us down there. I give them credit. They took advantage of us down there. We just need to play our game and protect our home court and we should be fine.