USD women’s basketball team ready to take on Stanford

The story is set.

Plot: University of South Dakota women’s basketball will appear in its first NCAA Tournament Saturday.

Setting: Ames, Iowa.

Opponent: No. 2 seed Stanford Cardinal.

It’s onto tipoff. The backstory, like how USD has never had a Division I representative in the tourney or how the USD women dethroned their biggest rival SDSU after a five-year reign, means little now.

It’s just South Dakota against Stanford.

“We are anxious to get on that court,” sophomore Tia Hemiller said. “This is one of the biggest moments we will ever get, so we are trying to make the best of it. It’s an exciting time of the year, and no matter what, we won’t go down without a fight.”

The Cardinal will bring in tradition, national experience and top talent. USD will bring the underdog spirit and a nearby fan base.

Stanford is led by two-time All-American Chiney Ogwumike, a 6’4″ senior forward averaging 26.8 points per game. Stanford has appeared in the women’s Final Four five of the last six years. And the Cardinal have won 10 conference tournament titles in the Pac-12.

USD is led by Polly Harrington, a 5’11 senior forward who averages 12.5 points per game. USD has never appeared in the 64-team tournament. Last week’s Summit League Championship was also the Coyotes’ first conference title.

“It’s an honor to be going up against a program of Stanford’s caliber,” head coach Amy Williams said. “We’ve got nothing to lose in this ball game. We’re going to go down, have fun, be loose and be competitive.”

The Coyote women will need an aggressive performance to slow down the Cardinal, who expected to make a run to the Final Four.

In Stanford’s three season losses, the only team with real success at slowing down Ogwumike has been undefeated Connecticut. She still had 16 points, 10 rebounds.

“She’s just another player we’ll have to face,” Harrington said. “We’ll have to overcome her game. We’re prepared for it, and we’ll be ready when the time comes.”

The game plan will have to focus on containing Ogwumike down low. Whether it’s scoring, rebounding or defending, her presence is essential to Standford’s success.

But where USD could find their greatest success is limiting production from Ogwumike’s supporting cast. The Cardinal have no other player averaging double-digit points or rebounds.

While the Coyotes will focus plenty of attention down low, USD’s leading scorers Nicole Seekamp, Raeshel Contreras and Hemiller will look to step up on the offensive end.

Hemiller, the Coyotes’ gritty, starting point guard at 5’6″, leads the Coyotes in rebounds and could make her presence felt by helping USD control the boards.

“Being the point guard, it is my job to be a leader out there as well,” Hemiller said. “By keeping the intensity level up, it brings our team together, and that’s when we are playing our best basketball.”

USD’s big opportunity to put themselves on the map will begin at 5:30 p.m. Team members said they will be playing for themselves, the Summit League, South Dakota and their senior Harrington.

Harrington was the team’s inspiration all season, and she produced three big performances in the conference tournament to carry the team into the NCAA bracket.

Now, there’s one more job for her.

“This is a happy moment in my life and my team’s life,” she said. “For me, my teammates and my coaches, to experience this together means we worked hard all year. It’s nice to be here.”