Of course they do.

“We are realistic,” 30th-year Kansas coach Marian Wash-ington said. “We think that we can play at a .500 level. It’ll be tough, but nothing like last year.”

The top four scorers from the worst team in the Washington era are gone and the only returnee who averaged more than five points a game is Leawood native Blair Waltz (6.2 ppg.), who as a sophomore may be the only returning player to start.

KU’s veteran coach will be relying heavily on newcomers.

She signed seven recruits in a class that was rated the 12th best in the country by All-Star Girls Report.

“The freshman have already told me they are up for the challenge,” Washington said. “We’ll put them out there for sure, and they’ll have to gain experience on the run.”

Two of the seven newcomers are Sunflower state products. Both Topeka’s Crystal Kemp and Overland Park Aquinas product Ebony Hal-iburton were honorable mention All-America selections by Street and Smith magazine.

Washington’s top recruit, however, is probably Tamara Ransburg, a 6-foot-4 forward from Virginia Beach, Va., who averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. She chose KU over UConn, Old Dominion, Duke and North Carolina.

Another signee of note is Erica Hallman, a 5-foot-10 guard who was named Miss Kentucky Basketball after leading Covington, Ky., Holmes High to a 29-6 record and the No. 1 ranking in the state. She averaged 21.1 points a game.

The other KU signees are 5-9 Aquaneta Barnes, a transfer from Central Arizona CC, and high schoolers Nichelle Roberts (6-1 of Houston, Texas) and Alicia Rhymes (6-0 of Shreveport, La.) Another more or less new face is Sereeta Jones, a 6-0 freshman from Vista, Calif., who was red-shirted last season.

The remainder of Washing-ton’s senior-less squad will consist of juniors Sharonnpencer, Leila Meng Keila Beachem; and sophs Valerie Migicovsky, Bradi McGinest and Waltz.

“We’re going to be a young squad that may take a little time to win, but it won’t be anything like last year,” Washington said. “We have a talented group of players that are going to help turn this thing around.”

In addition, Washington is happy to have Tim Eatman back as an assistant coach. Eatman spent the past four seasons as head coach at Illinois-Chicago.

Obviously, Washington is hoping a two-year stretch of losing seasons will end this year.

“We’re going to come out and compete,” Washington said. “Last year was about as tough as they come, but it wasn’t like building a program from scratch. We’re rebuilding from the ground up, but we have some players who will make a difference.”

The Jayhawks compiled a 5-25 record, including an unprecedented 0-for-16 mark in Big 12 Conference games, last season. KU didn’t win a single game in 2002, losing the last 17.

“Sometimes I don’t know how I got through it,” Washington said. “I relied heavily on God, my family and friends.”

So perhaps a long getaway was in store for the 15th active winningest women’s college basketball coach?

“I haven’t really had time to go anywhere,” Washington said. “But I’ve been able to get some rest.”

She won’t be resting at Late Night. You can bet she’ll be on the court dancing with her optimistic players as she does every October.