Detroit sophomore forward Talicia Washington (Auburn Hills, MI/Avondale) is featured in this week's women's basketball Q&A.

Why did you choose Detroit?
I like the campus. When I first came here, there was some type of feeling that I liked it here. When I went to Chicago State, I just didn't like it. It was a nice campus, but I just didn't like it at Chicago State. I got this feeling here at Detroit that this is where I need to be and it's close to home, which is definitely a positive.

How is it being close to home?
I like it. If I need something or if I need to go home, I can and same if my mom needs to come and get me from school easily. When I was injured, I could go home and my mom could easily come and get me.

What was your recruiting visit like here at Detroit?
I never had an official visit, but I came on an unofficial visit. They showed me around and I sat in class with Heather (Hatter) and I watched them play open gym.

What other schools recruited you?
Eastern Michigan towards the end of summer, Northwood and Chicago State.

How have you made the most of this year after suffering a season-ending injury?
I've just been concentrating on my academics. I try to look at it as that God has a plan for everything. There was a reason for getting injured. It was unfortunate, but I just have to look forward to next year. They are doing pretty good this year, which is a plus, but I have to look forward to next year and come back strong and come back where I left off.

Is it frustrating watching the games from the bench this year?
It's very frustrating. I have moments, sometimes where I just want to play, but I physically am unable to. I may tell the younger post players what's going on, but they don't really understand what I'm saying because I am not able to physically demonstrate it.

What has it been like for you as a student-athlete to have gone through three head coaches?
It's different because my freshman year with the first two coaching staffs, since I wasn't playing, I just felt like I wasn't involved; it didn't matter if I was there or not. With this coaching staff, there's still stuff that I have to be at, playing or not. It's just different. Both coaching staffs are great people though. I can't say really from a playing perspective because I didn't get to play for the first two staffs.

What has been your best memory as a Titan thus far in your career?
There's a couple. The Loyola game at Loyola last year, was my best game, and of course, beating Green Bay this year. Then just times outside of basketball bonding with my teammates. A couple of us a few weeks ago went to Red Lobster and then afterwards we were over in Quad Commons, just dancing and having a good time.

How long have you been playing basketball?
I was in third grade, so eight-years-old, which is when I started playing for teams. My first real travel team was when I was in seventh grade, then I was JV freshman year and then varsity the last three.

Was your goal always to play college basketball?
At first it wasn't, I was just playing because my sister played. Then I was good at it, so I kept playing and then I knew that I needed basketball to pay for my education. I realized that you can't play it in college if you don't love it because it's three-quarters of your time, so you have to have that love for the game.

Do sports run in your family?
My sister is four years older than me and stopped playing basketball her junior year in high school. She got by on her academics and went to Ohio State. My dad also went to Ohio State for a year, but he wasn't happy with his playing time, so he transferred to Baldwin Wallace in Ohio.

My mom used to coach basketball. She was a freshman coach at Pontiac Central High School and she was also the AD. When she got the job at Avondale, she was no longer a coach.

Did your mom teach at Avondale when you were a student?
Yes, but I never had her as a teacher. She started teaching marketing and computers, but now she's teaching economics and social studies.

How was it going to the same school that your mom taught at?
It wasn't bad, actually, because I hardly saw her. I may have seen her going from class to class for one class, but that was it. It was convenient though if I forgot lunch money or if I needed to go home, I could use her car. It worked out, actually.

What are you majoring in?
Business administration with a concentration in finance.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?
I haven't really made up my mind yet. If I'm done with basketball, then I'll probably want to work somewhere dealing with money. I wouldn't mind working at a bank to get started. I am going to get my MBA during my fifth year here though.

If they were to make a movie about your life, what would the title be?
My Life as T.

What actress would you want to portray you in the film?
Taraji Henson

What are your nicknames?
Obviously, just T and then there's T-Dub and T-Wash, to name a few.

Who has been your biggest influence in your playing career?
My mom. She's been at every game. Out of all the games I've played, she's probably missed less than 10 and the majority that she missed were tournaments. In high school, she kept the book, so she had to be at every game. In college, even when I'm not playing, she's at the home games. Last year, when I was playing, she tried to make the close away games.

What kind of advice did your parents give you before you started your first year as a student-athlete?
Basically just be me and remember everything that I've learned thus far and don't just let it go out the window. Stay positive and work hard.

What professional athlete do you most admire and why?
I like Dwight Howard. I just like how he plays. He's strong and a post player.

What famous person would you most like to meet?
Braylon Edwards. I've just had a huge crush on him since the 10th grade. I probably wouldn't say anything to him though.

Is there any significance to #30?
No, actually my preferred number is 31, so this was the closest that was available.

Do you have any gameday superstitions?
I used to take a nap before every game. I listen to music and I pray during the national anthem and then I'll say my own prayer during the starting line-up announcements.

What kind of music would you be listening to?
Mostly R&B and a little rap. Right now that would get me pumped up is "Rockstar 101" by Rihanna.

What does it mean to you to be a Titan?
Family. We all look out for each other and we all have each other's back. We'll also pick each other over anyone else and that goes with other sports too, it's just not the basketball team. Everyone pretty much has each other's back.

Thoughts on Coach Rademacher?
She's cool. She's a cool person. She can be real hard at times, but when you look back at it you realize it's for the best. She knows how to get people to produce and if that's getting on you and saying whatever comes to mind to make you mad, then that's what she's going to do. It's not because she wants to, it's because she knows that's how you're going to produce.