Courtesy of Joe Angeles | WUSTL Photo ServicesThe men’s and women’s basketball teams will both face tough challenges on the road in the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
The No. 11 men’s team (19-6) will play the College of Wooster (23-4), currently ranked 17, in the opening round in Rock Island, Ill. at 6 p.m. on Friday. The team last faced Wooster in the third place contest in last year’s Final Four where the Bears prevailed 92-84.
“It’s a difficult match-up, and we hope to be difficult for them,” said Head Coach Mark Edwards. “There are no easy games in the tournament. We had a difficult path last year too, and it made us tougher to beat.”
The other game in the pod features host No. 6 Augustana College (22-5), a team the Bears lost to on a neutral court 66-60 in November, and Aurora University (22-6). The combination of these four teams makes this region one of the toughest in the tournament.
“We have two losses in a row to avenge against Augustana and are looking forward to [the potential] match-up,” said Edwards.
The team is relatively understanding about their difficult draw.
“The NCAA can’t [make the bracket] like they do in Division I,” explained senior guard Danny O’Boyle, a team captain. “It has to do it regionally so teams aren’t flying all over the place.”
The women (18-7) will begin their 19th-straight trip to the tournament with a first round match against Wilmington University (21-7), a team they have never faced, in Greencastle, Ind. at 5 p.m. (EST) on Friday. The game will also feature a battle of previous NCAA champions. The Bears won four consecutive titles from 1998-2001 while the Quakers were crowned champions in 2004.
Though the opponent might be largely unknown to the Bears, the location certainly is not.
“[The Raymond ‘Gaumey’ Neal Fieldhouse] feels like it’s our home court. We have played there lots and know the gym,” said junior guard Halsey Ward. “We didn’t play our best in the fall when we opened there and want to redeem ourselves.”
Host DePauw University (23-5), currently ranked sixth, will play Denison University (18-10), which Wash. U. beat in December, 87-76, in the other first round match. DePauw, the defending national champion, beat Wash. U. in last year’s championship game 55-52 after beating Denison in the regional finals 74-66. Denison also faced the defending national champion in last year’s first round, upsetting Hope College 82-66.
“We want to avenge the loss in last year’s national championship,” said sophomore forward Janice Evans. “We would love to knock them out early.”
Though the second round matches for both teams will be difficult, they are primarily focusing on their first round games.
“You can’t look ahead at all or it will hurt you,” said sophomore guard Aaron Thompson. “You have to stay focused on the next game and work your butt off.”
One thing is clear, however. After last year’s successes, the teams are eager for a repeat.
“We had a great experience in the Final Four,” said Evans. “Getting there was a challenge and we would love to go back.”