One reason Babcock was so much more valuable to her team this year in the playoff run was that she was fully healthy. She played the 2006 playoffs with injuries that required surgery in the offseason. With her physical liabilities erased, she was able to compete at her highest level.

Even with her ability to dominate, the humble approach Babcock took in her success was refreshing.

"It helps being healthy," Babcock said. "But even more than that I think I just benefit from having great teammates get me the ball in the right spots. I just try to go at balls 100 percent, and things seem to work out when you do that. My teammates, though, really deserve more of the credit than I do."

It obviously was a two-way street for the Winged Lion.

"Lauren had a way of making everyone around her a better player," added Wilhite. "She was a great scorer, and the attention other teams paid to her made it easier on everyone else around her."

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E-mail: mblack@desnews.com