All cheer, no fear for UNI women
CEDAR FALLS (MCT) — Not much seems to dampen the spirit of the Northern Iowa women’s basketball team these days.
Since clinching the school’s first Missouri Valley Conference tournament title Sunday, the past 24 hours have featured plenty of curveballs starting with the trip home when the team’s charter bus broke down just outside of St. Charles, Mo. The players put in a movie and made the best of a 2.5-hour delay.
“We were like whatever, we just won a championship, we won’t let anything get us down,” MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player recipient Lizzie Boeck said.
The Panthers remained positive Monday afternoon during the NCAA women’s basketball tournament selection show. Surrounded by their most loyal supporters inside a full McLeod Center alumni suite, the UNI players erupted with joy upon hearing they’d be a No. 16 seed.
When Northern Iowa’s name popped up on the television monitor, the players’ reaction matched that of their opponent — top-seeded Nebraska whose celebration was shown during ESPN’s live telecast of the event.
When asked if there’s been a happier No. 16 seed going into the tournament, UNI coach Tanya Warren responded with a quick, “No.”
“I was pretty excited,” added Boeck who later admitted she was hoping to get a shot at playing No. 1 overall seed UConn — a program she idolized growing up. “It’s our first appearance in the tournament. Playing a No. 1 seed is pretty intense, but we’re going to do our best to get past them.”
UNI (17-15) will meet Nebraska (30-1) 6:06 p.m. Sunday in nearby Minneapolis. The Cornhuskers won their first 30 games before falling to No. 11 Texas A&M in the Big 12 tournament semifinals.
Nebraska is making its third NCAA appearance in four years under 2010 Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year Connie Yori.
Warren shared a backcourt with Yori as a collegiate athlete at Creighton. The two friends are the only women’s players to have their jersey numbers retired by the school.
“I was the point and she was the two (guard),” Warren said. “She had to be nice to me because I had to give her the ball.
“Back then Connie was so much ahead of the game. She played the game like a guy, she could score inside out. ... As good of a basketball player as she was, she was an even better softball player. A fierce, fierce competitor. I’m not at all surprised that she’s turned into one of the best young coaches in the country.”
Nebraska is led by National Player of the Year candidate Kelsey Griffin who’s averaging 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and five assists while shooting 61.3 percent from the field.
Warren was hoping her team could avoid having to face a top seed. Last year Evansville won the MVC tournament after finishing ninth in the regular season and was still awarded a 15 seed.
“To honest, I thought that maybe we’d be a 15 seed,” Warren said. “I was hoping a 14. Sixteen did not enter my mind considering Evansville was a (15) seed last year. It is what it is, and we’ll do everything we can to be prepared for a very good Nebraska team.”
Still, the low seed couldn’t spoil the day for UNI.
“Some people never get this opportunity so we’re going to take full advantage of it,” senior starter Danielle Wubbens said.
“It’s completely crazy. It feels surreal still.”
“What a great way to go out,” fellow senior Nicole Clausen added. “We’ve work so hard since our freshman year day-in and day-out.”
