695: Tell me about your childhood and family life...

Briana: I was born the youngest of three kids, the only girl. I grew up in Baltimore and attended Leith Walk elementary school until I transferred to the Baltimore County school system and attended Deer Park.

695: When did you start playing ball? Were you involved in other sports?

Briana:  I didnt start playing organized basketball until I was 11. Before then I played other sports like soccer, tennis, and softball. I also did karate and was really into the arts. I did ballet, modern dance, took piano lessons, African dance, and was in a choir. But once I started playing basketball I fell in love with the game and cut everything else out. In high school I picked up on track/field as well as volleyball. Winning gold and silver medals in my events for track.

695: Which NBA or WNBA player has had the most impact on your game?

Briana:  Michael Jordan is the best basketball player EVER but my favorite player is/was Tim Duncan, but not all because of his basketball skills but because of his overall demeanor on the court. When I first started playing basketball I had a serious attitude problem but after seeing how Tim Duncan was on the court always calm, cool, and collected but still getting the job done he became my favorite.  I also loved Reggie and Cheryl Miller. Right now I like the intensity of Angel MCCoughtry's game.

695: Which AAU teams did you play with?

Briana:  I first started off with the Owings Mills Lady TIgers and eventually made my way to the Maryland Lady Comets.

695:  How was it playing for such a storied program like St.Frances and helping them add to it?

Briana:  Playing for St.Frances was like a dream come true for me. In middle school I had always read articles on the school and had seen them play a few times as well and I knew from there that I wanted to be apart of this team. Being a competitive person I wanted to play amongst the best players and win, St.Frances offered me both. Once you become a SFA Panther you feel this pride and you just want to keep the championship tradition. There is no better feeling then walking into SFA and looking at the long line of banners and knowing that you were apart of that.

695: How was the recruiting process for you? You committed to American and then switched up and went to Rutgers.

Briana:  The recruiting process for me was a little crazy. Not playing for a major AAU program I really didn't get to blossom and showcase what I could do until around the 11th grade year when I started to really see my game grow. So a lot of mid majors were coming after me, but then my game kept expanding and major D1 schools started calling and I realized I might have made my decision to commit too early and opened back up. When choosing a college I was looking for a place I could really call home and felt like I was surrounded by family. I also wanted to go somewhere where I know that my game would get better and that I could play against the best as well. I did not just want to settle. Last but not least I wanted to go somewhere where I could recieve a good degree and be able to get all the academic support that I needed.

695: What was your biggest adjustment  your first year on a campus?

Briana:  My biggest adjustment was probably just time management and the class sizes.

695: How was Alabama able to close the deal and get you so far down south?

Briana:  Well Alabama was where I was thinking about going before commiting to Rutgers, plus I developed a good relationship with Coach Ty Evans who is from the DMV area so it's like a little bit of home with me at all times. Distance is not really that big of a deal for me as long as the school was a great fit.

695: How are you going to handle sitting out a year without being on the court?

Briana:  Honestly, I still have not yet figured that out. I have never had to sit out for so long in my entire life. I don't know how I'm going to get through it, because there is no feeling like playing in a game. I think that sitting out though will only make me even hungrier for the next season that I am allowed to play. I'm excited to workout and practice with the team and get better. I am really grateful for this second chance and plan on taking advantage of this year to become a better player on and off the court.

695: What are you majoring in?

Briana:  I am majoring in communications.

695: What do you do besides play ball?

Briana:  Pretty much everything that I do involves basketball. Whether I am working out, putting up shots, pick up, or even just going to watch a game. But other than that I just like to hang out with my friends and have a good time.