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University of Houston Athletics
On The Button
1/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2012
HOUSTON - Since his arrival over a year ago, head coach Todd Buchanan has preached two things to his Houston Cougar women's basketball teams... He wants them to press, run and have fun, and he wants them to work hard. If there is one thing Roxana Button knows, it is hard work.
Button's freshman class arrived in somewhat of a down period for the Cougars. The seniors that year had yet to have a winning season while playing at the University of Houston but it's safe to say that Button had an immediate impact in helping to turn that around.
As a freshman, Button played in all 29 games and averaged 8.4 points in just 23.1 minutes per contest, coming off the bench a majority of the time. The Cougars would go on to have a winning record that season and have not finished under .500 since.
However, with Button it's not always just about being on the court. In the classroom, she held a 3.86 GPA and graduated in December with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in chemistry. To go along with her dreams on the court, she also dreams of becoming a doctor one day.
 | "I was raised to give whatever you are doing everything you have." |
"I have a passion for helping people and I love everything about the human body," Button says. "It's just a miracle. I love learning about it. It fascinates me. So combine those two and you have a doctor.
"Right now I'm leaning toward being a pediatrician or maybe a family physician."
With practicing for a Division I women's basketball team, and studying for one of the toughest majors on campus, you would think that Button would be running on empty most of the time. You would, however, be wrong. If there is a court available and a basketball to be shot, it is almost a guarantee that Roxana Button could be found on it.
"I was raised to give whatever you are doing everything you have," she says. "I was also raised to do my schoolwork first. So I would do my schoolwork and then if I had extra time I would go and play basketball, and then if I still had extra time I would go out with my friends."
Button continued her role as sixth man throughout her junior season when the Cougars, led by a crop of talented seniors, finished an undefeated 16-0 in Conference USA to achieve a berth in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2004-05.
"It was a great feeling to be a part of that team last year and really the years since I was a freshman," Button says. "Just being a part of that group and growing and maturing and then to cap it off with those seniors last year was amazing."
Button again made an appearance in every one of the games. In fact, she has found a way to stay on the court consistently and has gone on to play in every single game of her NCAA basketball career at Houston. With 106 consecutive games played, Button has a chance to finish in the top seven all-time at Houston in career games.
When Button's junior season ended, though, so did her role as super sub. With the last year's seniors graduating, it was time for her to become a full-time starter. With only four players returning from last year's squad, Button would not only be looked upon to score, but also to lead a team full of players who would be seeing their first Division I basketball action.
"It was a big transition." Button admits. "To go from being more of a role player last year to being one that the team is depending on was a huge transition. To be that leader every day, you can't have a bad day, especially for a young team. Coach Buchanan has always told Porsche (Landry) and I that you can have a bad game but nobody else can know you're having a bad game. That has been the biggest thing."
One thing Button is in charge of is showing the younger players what it means to play at the University of Houston. Her experience, along with the other seniors on the team, is key in instilling those winning values into the fresh crop.
"We're focusing on working hard every day." Button says. "That's the biggest thing. They (younger players) have to understand that is has to be earned. Coming from high school they are all stars, but when they get here they have to earn their spot and work for it every day. That's what we're trying to instill is that work ethic."
With the inexperience and a slew of injuries early on this season, Button knows there will be time for very few of those "bad days." However as a true leader should be, Button is not deterred by the challenge that faces her.
"We're not going to brush this season under the rug at all." Button states. "I'm still looking forward to it; we still have plenty of games to play."
Through the season's first 13 contests, Button has averaged a league-best 19.6 points per game, which is 12.6 points higher than her career average entering this season. The Coppell, Texas, native is only 92 points shy of becoming Houston's 22nd member of the 1,000-point club.
