Baker and Cavallo 'home court' advantage

Michelle Baker walked into her freshman year dorm, a basketball in each hand, ready for her first year of college, and of college basketball, to begin. The entrance wasn't quite as smooth as Baker expected.

"She walked in the door with two basketballs in her hands, and she threw one of them up and broke a mug," said Kelly Cavallo, Baker's roommate.  "I thought, ‘this girl's gonna be wild. She's here for two seconds and she already broke something.'"

Assigned to room together by chance their freshman year, seniors Michelle Baker and Kelly Cavallo still call each other roommates, and teammates, three years later.

"Spending more time together, we've grown to know each other," said Baker. "It wasn't like we immediately clicked or were immediately best friends, but I think that's what makes us better friends, that we grew to know each other."

It was a conversation borne of a sleepless night that first sparked a great on and off-court duo.

"I remember one night we both couldn't sleep, so we just started talking. It became a routine that we would talk a little bit before we went to sleep," said Baker.

The pair describes themselves as shy, not wanting to step on each other's toes during that first semester. Yet when it came time to select where to live and who to live with during the following year, they knew they were best off together.

"They asked us for housing next year, and there was just no one I wanted to live with besides her [Baker]," said Cavallo, "so we just went with it."

Being roommates for four straight years has given them a special relationship as teammates. Each player seems to have some innate knowledge of what the other is about to do, and also of what the other may need. 

"On a court aspect, she's my roommate," said Baker of Cavallo. Even when coaches question a pass, Baker can count on her roommate and teammate being there; "I know Kelly is going to get it. I don't have to worry about that."

"Baker likes to drive to the basket, and then at the last second the post player will go to help, so I'll be wide open. Most post players won't realize she's going to pass them the ball, but just because I know how she is, I know at the last second she's going to chuck it at my head. I'm always aware of that," said Cavallo.

One of the keys to the friendship is that the two women aren't together 24/7, although their practice schedule and living situation might suggest otherwise. They know when to leave the other alone, when to retreat to their rooms to do homework, and when to hang out with other friends.

"We've had problems, but the reason that we don't have as many problems is that we know to give each other a little bit of space," said Baker. "…We're very open people, and we love the rest of our teammates."

And with the whole women's basketball team to call teammates, the two roommates don't always have to be attached. 

"With 15 other people [on the team], I don't always have to be with Kel," said Baker. "I know I always have Kel, and she's always there, so I think that's why there hasn't been a strain."

When the team is away from campus, the two see less of each other than most days.

 "Sometimes on road trips I feel like I don't really even see her that much, because I room with someone else on the road," said Cavallo. "Sometimes I feel like I don't even see her that much."

The two joked about conversations after away games:

 "So how was your trip?" Baker asked.

 "Hey, I saw you in the game."

 "See you at home?"

The two speak highly of each other as teammates, roommates and most tellingly, friends.

"Kelly is a very genuine person. She's been there from the beginning, that's why we've been roommates this whole time…Kelly is one of my best friends," said Baker.

"Michelle is always there for you, and she's a great friend. No matter what it is—school family, friends, sports—she's always been there for me," said Cavallo. "That's why we're still together after all these years."

The two share high expectations for the team this season, their last at St. Joe's.

"I expect great things," said Baker. "We work hard, and we know each other. We're going to be tested, but I believe in this team whole-heartedly. Winning A-10 championships, winning lots of games, going to the NCAA tournament."

Cavallo couldn't help but agree with her roommate's answer: "All the same things she just said."