The Texas A&M womens basketball team will play Wichita State in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday, beginning what could become the journey to its second national title in three seasons.
The Aggies, who claimed a No. 3 seed in the Norfolk Regional of the NCAA tournament, will host the first and second rounds at Reed Arena on Saturday through Monday. The No. 14 seeded Wichita State makes its first NCAA tournament appearance after a 24-9 regular season and Missouri Valley Conference tournament title.
Wichita, [Kan.], is a basketball town, they know their basketball said A&M head coach Gary Blair. We have a lot of respect for Wichita State.
The Aggies will face off against Wichita State for the third time in program history, with A&M owning a 2-0 advantage.
A&M surged in the league tournament after losing four of its final five games en route to a fourth place regular season finish in its inaugural season with the Southeastern Conference. The Aggies defeated No. 14 South Carolina, No. 9 Tennessee and No. 7 Kentucky on consecutive days to win the SEC tournament title.
The naysayers kept saying Theyre finished, theyre finished, just wait until next year, Blair said. Were never finished as Aggies. If you give us a chance to play, well get it done.
The winner of No. 6 Nebraska and No. 11 Chattanooga will play the A&M-Wichita State victor Monday.
Were excited to be in an NCAA tournament game, said senior guard Adrienne Pratcher. There are a lot of things that weve been through this season good, bad, ugly but were always able to say that we come from the home of the 12th Man.