NEW YORK LIBERTY New York has the fans, averaging almost 15,000 a game. It has the big-name star in Rebecca Lobo and the personalities in Teresa Weatherspoon and Sophia Witherspoon. What New York is looking for is a coach who can put all the elements together and win the WNBA title -- or a least the Eastern Conference. The Liberty's new coach, Richie Adubato, spent 19 years as an assistant or head coach in the NBA. He inherits a team that is much the same as last season. New York lost a talented young guard in Kisha Ford to expansion team Orlando, and gained forward Crystal Robinson of the ABL and center Michele Van Gorp of Duke in the draft. Adubato said VanGorp is fundamentally sound and has a good shooting touch, but he is hoping improve her rebounding skills and make her the backup center. "We don't have a lot of explosive players who can drive to the basket, break the defense down -- a complete player," Adubato said. "Our scoring will have to come from the inside and we're looking to free up Robinson on the outside." SI for Women's bottom line: This disappointing team needed an overhaul and didn't get one. Robinson, an excellent perimeter shooter, won't be enough to help the Liberty recover from the swoon that started late in the 1998 season. ROSTER No. 14 30 25 34 55 50 17 3 43 31 4 11 44 23 13 12 Name Elisabeth Cebrian Bridgette Gordon Becky Hammon Kym Hampton Vickie Johnson Rebecca Lobo Vanessa Nygaard Crystal Robinson Alicia Thompson Michele VanGorp Coquese Washington Teresa Weatherspoon Tamika Whitmore Sue Wicks Sophia Witherspoon Carolyn Young Pos. C F G C G/F F F F F C G G F/C F G/F G HT 6-5 6-0 5-6 6-2 5-9 6-4 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-6 5-6 5-8 6-2 6-3 5-10 5-9

SCHEDULE Jun. 10 -- Cleveland, 7:30 p.m. Jun. 12 -- at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. Jun. 14 -- Washington, 7:30 p.m. Jun. 28 -- at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Jun. 18 -- Los Angeles, 7 p.m. Jul. 3 -- at Houston, 2 p.m. Jun. 20 -- Detroit, 4 p.m. Jul. 6 -- at Washington, 7:30 p.m. Jun. 25 -- Orlando, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 8 -- at Cleveland, 7 p.m. Jun. 27 -- Charlotte, 4 p.m. Jul. 17 -- at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. Jul. 1 -- Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 22 -- at Sacramento, 10 p.m. Jul. 5 -- Sacramento, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 24 -- at Los Angeles, 4 p.m. Jul. 11 -- Minnesota, 4 p.m. Jul. 29 -- at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 18 -- Utah, 4 p.m. Jul. 30 -- at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 26 -- Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3 -- at Utah, 9 p.m. Aug. 1 -- Orlando, 4 p.m. Aug. 6 -- at Phoenix, 9 p.m. Aug. 8 -- Houston, 4 p.m. Aug. 9 -- at Orlando, 8 p.m. Aug. 15 -- Detroit, 4.m. Aug. 11 -- at Washington, 7 p.m. Aug. 17 -- Washington, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13 -- at Detroit, 8 p.m. Aug. 19 -- Cleveland, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21 -- at Cleveland, 2 p.m Coach: Richie Adubato (first season with New York) Top returning players: G Sophia Witherspoon (13.8 ppg), G Teresa Weatherspoon (league-high 3.33 steals per game), C Rebecca Lobo (6.9 rpg) Key newcomers: F Crystal Robinson (ABL's Colorado Xplosion), C Michele Van Gorp (Duke) 1998 record and finish: 16-12, third in Eastern Arena: Madison Square Garden Average home attendance: 14,935 Colors: Blue and orange