There’s supposed to be more parity in men’s college basketball. But while only one No. 7 seed advanced to the men’s Sweet 16, there are two double-digit seeds and two No. 7 seeds remaining in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
The underdog mentally has helped inspire No. 5 seed George Washington, one of just three teams left that doesn’t represent a major conference.
“I think it’s just the belief that, ‘We’re not just going to give them a good game,’ it’s a belief that ‘We’re going to go out and win,’” said Colonials senior Kenan Cole of upset wins by No. 13 seed Marist and No. 7 Bowling Green, both mid-majors. “It’s happened enough times in the tournament so far.
Taking down a No. 1 seed, such as North Carolina, is a far bigger task, but after losing in the second round last year to vaunted Tennessee, the Colonials know they are more than just capable of keeping up with the Tar Heels.
George Washington’s competitive fire was also stoked by their disappointing exit in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
“We’ve said, ‘Let’s not do that again,” said Coloinals head coach Joe McKeown. “If someone’s going to beat us, they’re going to have to play their best game to do it.”
The Colonials hope to neutralize the Atlantic Coast Conference champions speed, but not at the expense of their own game.
“You’ve got to be careful that you end up standing around too much. You’ve got to do what got you to that game. Part of what we do is run, so we’ll try to pick our spots,” said McKeown, “But we’re not going to run with them for 40 minutes.”
NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament
Dallas Region semifinal
No. 5 George Washington (28-3) vs. No. 1 North Carolina (32-3)
» When: Sunday, 9:30 p.m.
» Where: Reunion Arena, Dallas
» TV: ESPN2
