2017 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship

[flyingMoose]

Both Drake (the automatic qualifier from the Valley) and Northern Iowa are in the Tournament - both(?!) are a #10 seed.

Drake is in Manhattan to play Kansas State on Saturday. The Wildcats are hosting because Stanford, the #2 seed in their quarter of the bracket, is the host this Saturday for the Pac-12 Women's Gymnastics Championship. New Mexico State is the opponent for the Cardinal.

Northern Iowa plays DePaul on Friday in Starkville where Mississippi State, another #2 seed, is the host school. The Bulldogs open against Troy.

Drake has an RPI of 26 while UNI's RPI is 52.

[1972Shocker]

Very surpirised that UNI made it in but good for them. Good luck to both squads. The irony is that this is one of the better selection and seeding results in a long time for the Valley in a year where the Valley as a whole was pretty poor. Not sure if this is a sign that women's college basketball as a whole is on a downswing or what it tells us.

[flyingMoose]

Very surprised that UNI made it in but good for them.

Me, too.

[1972Shocker]

#7 DePaul 88 - #10 Northern Iowa 67

Box Score

[1972Shocker]

Not NCAA Tournament but not worth opening another thread.

First Round WNIT Score:

Iowa 95 - Missouri State 74

http://www.missouristatebears.com/news/2017/3/16/womens-basketball-lady-bears-drop-wnit-opener-at-iowa.aspx

[1972Shocker]

#7 Kansas State 67 - #10 Drake 54

K-State's size and home court advantage was just too much for Drake to overcome.

[flyingMoose]

#7 Kansas State 67 - #10 Drake 54

K-State's size and home court advantage was just too much for Drake to overcome.

Lizzy Wendell closes out her career with 17 points to lead the scoring for Drake. Becca Hittner had 13, and Sammie Bachrodt from Wichita had 10. They are a freshman and sophomore respectively, so the Bulldogs are not going away soon.

[1972Shocker]

Lizzy Wendell closes out her career with 17 points to lead the scoring for Drake. Becca Hittner had 13, and Sammie Bachrodt from Wichita had 10. They are a freshman and sophomore respectively, so the Bulldogs are not going away soon.

Yeah, Drake should be a strong favorite to win the Valley again next year. I assume Sara Rhine will be back for Drake. No question that Wendell is an outstanding player. However, I am not sure she is the player Drake will miss the most. Senior point guard Caitlyn Ingle was the player I think that really made that Drake offense click.

[flyingMoose]

No question the Wendell is an outstanding player. However, I am not sure she is the player Drake will miss the most. Senior point guard Caitlyn Ingle was the player I think that really made that Drake offense click.

Good point. I thought Ingle was a little helter-skelter at times, but she made things happen.

[1972Shocker]

Good point. I thought Ingle was a little helter-skelter at times, but she made things happen.

I think the helterer and skelterer they played the better Drake liked it. I think this largely by design. Obviously, K-State controlled the tempo today.

[1972Shocker]

Now that he NCAA has moved away from campus sites for NCAA regional play (Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games) attendance is at 20-year lows and this year's numbers were bolstered by the Bridgeport Regional that sold out becasue UConn played there.

However, their are no plans to revert back to campus sites for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2017/03/29/womens-basketball-regional-attendance-at-20-year-low/99799322/