In the end, March Madness is about winning a national title.
That?s the goal of the 65 men and 64 women?s college basketball programs that enter this month?s massive event ? the NCAA tournament. For the most part, only a few teams actually have a chance to cut down the nets in Atlanta (men) and Cleveland (women) in a few weeks.
But what makes March Madness the best event in all of sports, including the World Series and the Super Bowl, are the great stories and upsets that almost always take place. This year is no exception. On Thursday, Virginia Commonwealth, an 11th seed, knocked off the sixth-seeded Duke men, a three-time national champion which had not lost in the first round in 11 years. VCU hopes to follow the lead of conference rival George Mason, which made the Final Four in 2006.
While upsets in the 6 vs. 11 games are not uncommon, they are virtually unheard of in 1 vs. 16 contests. In fact, it has never happened on the men?s side and has occurred only once ? when Harvard beat Princeton in 1998 ? on the women?s side.
The University of Maryland-Baltimore County hopes to change that when it takes on Connecticut at 9:30 p.m. Sunday in the first round of the women?s tournament at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Conn. The Retrievers (16-16) are the ultimate underdog going up against a five-time national champion like the Huskies, who are playing a virtual home game. Still, reaching the national stage is the perfect reward for this Retrievers team, which shocked the top three teams in the America East Conference tournament just to get to this point.
Although every member of the UMBC roster is ecstatic about being in the NCAA tournament, it is even more special for the team?s seniors ? Sharri Rohde, Brittnie Hughes and Heather Luttrell.
“I haven?t been able to stop smiling all week,” Rohde said. “I just can?t believe this is really happening after all we?ve been through together. We can really appreciate where we are right now that much more.”
The trio of seniors arrived at UMBC right after the school made the big move from the Northeast Conference to the America East. The jump in competition was obvious ? the team went from 14-16 and competing in the conference final in 2002-03 to 4-24 the next year.
But the group stuck together and took on a leadership role the following year. That mindset, and remaining loyal to coach Phil Stern, paid off for the Retrievers, who won eight games the following year before going 15-13 last season. That marked the team?s first winning record since 1993-94.
“We threw Sharri, Brittnie and Heather out there right away,” Stern said. “They were put into a difficult situation, but they stuck together and now they are reaping the rewards.”
Junior Amanda Robinson said winning the America East tournament for the senior class was not just something the team talked about, but something they wanted desperately to do.
“Those seniors have been leaders on this team for three years,” Robinson said. “They went through the 4-24 season, but they have done everything they can to help all of the players on the team since then.”
Ron Snyder is a staff writer for The Examiner. He can be reached at [email protected].
