Coyote women advance to Sweet 16 of WNIT
A 101-89 road win over the University of Minnesota has moved the Coyotes into the Sweet Sixteen of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
The win has USD brimming with confidence.
“Any time you go on the road and get big wins, especially at a Big Ten type of school, it’s something that builds confidence,” said head coach Amy Williams.
Senior guard Nicole Seekamp had a great game against the Gophers, scoring 18 and dishing 14 assists. She said she believes the team came together against Minnesota.
“I think that was probably the best team game that we’ve played all year. We kind of put everything together and I think that’s what led us to get a win,” Seekamp said. “Now I hope that everyone in the team takes that and keeps growing for the next game and hopefully more games after that.”
The Coyotes’ next task will be to defeat the University of Northern Iowa. These two teams met earlier this season in Cedar Falls, when the Panthers defeated the Coyotes 64-43.
“We know we’ve got to take this team extremely seriously. Not that we weren’t the first time we played them, but early in the season we were a different team,” Williams said. “Both teams have really improved over the course of this season. It’s going to take a much better effort, they are a very, very good basketball team.”
Senior guard Kelly Stewart also noted the team’s growth throughout the season and the absence of Seekamp in the two teams’ first meeting.
“We were just out of sync on the offensive and defensive end in that game. I think we only scored 43 points and gave up in the sixties plus we didn’t have Nicole (Seekamp),” Stewart said. “We are a much different team since that game. Throughout the season we made a lot of improvements and really grew so we’re excited about that.”
Seekamp and Stewart are just two examples of the five seniors that have been leaders throughout WNIT and the season. Williams said senior guards Tia Hemiller and Heidi Hoff and center Margaret McCloud have all been big time leaders and players for the team.
“They are carrying us in this tournament, but they’ve been doing it all season long,” Williams said. “We’ve been leaning so heavily on those five seniors and their leadership to just guide us through all the ups and downs and challenges this season.”
It isn’t just the seniors who have stepped up this season, though, the underclassmen have also played big roles for USD.
“Everyone’s really been stepping up, top to bottom of the roster,” Stewart said. “We have five seniors on this team, we don’t want it to be over, but we are so fortunate to have an outstanding supporting cast of these underclassmen that want to play hard because they don’t want it to be over.”
The upcoming UNI game will mark the third “last game in the Dome” for the Coyotes, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I can’t tell you how many times we’ve said our last game in the Dome and here we are for the third time saying that,” Williams said. “It just kind of feels that it’s destined for this place to not let go of us just yet and we’re certainly okay with that.”
The Coyotes aren’t ready to forget the Dome and the achievements they’ve made inside of it.
“The Dome’s been really good to us and we’ve won a lot of basketball games in here,” Williams said. “We’d like to continue those winning ways.”
Playing in front of their home fans, even if it’s just one more time, is another big boost for the Coyotes.
“We absolutely love playing in front of our fans, we have the best fans in the nation, and we love being on our home court,” Stewart said. “It’s very comfortable for us so we love being back here.”
UNI will travel to Vermillion Thursday to take on the Coyotes in the DakotaDome. Tip-off time is 7 p.m.
“We’re playing better basketball, better defense and I think they’re going to be seeing a different team then they did at the start of the season,” Seekamp said.
