DENVER – Even before
Brianna Bailey gave her teammates a first-day-of-practice gift of scissors, the ones they used to cut down the nets after winning the RMAC Tournament on Saturday, there was a belief that there could be something special about this MSU Denver women's basketball team.
And now, having secured the No. 5 seed for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, with a first-round game set for 6:30 p.m. MST Friday against Texas Woman's, the Roadrunners have a chance to make it even more memorable.
"When a team gets momentum, it's pretty hard to stop them," MSU Denver forward
Allie Navarette said. "That's exactly where we're at. We're going to take it one game at a time, just like we did for the conference tournament, and we're not going to stop."
The Roadrunners' game with Texas Woman's is a rematch from Nov. 13, when MSU Denver played without
Morgan Griego, had six players foul out and eventually succumbed 86-84 in a triple-overtime road game.
"I remember a lot of us fouled out on the bench and not very happy," Navarette said.
So, not only did MSU Denver (22-8) avoid having to play another Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team in the regional, it also was paired with a team that gives them extra incentive, if any were needed for the NCAA Tournament.
"This is the perfect game for us, the one we wanted," said Griego, the most valuable player of the RMAC Tournament.
The game is the last of four first-round matchups to be played in Canyon, Texas, on Friday, so tipoff could come later than scheduled.
The others are third-seeded Lubbock Christian (Texas) against sixth-seeded CSU-Pueblo at 11 a.m. MST, second-seeded Texas A&M-Commerce against seventh-seeded Colorado School of Mines at 1:30 p.m. MST, and top-seeded host West Texas A&M playing eighth-seeded Colorado Mesa at 4 p.m. MST.
The regional semifinals are set for Saturday at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. MST, with the regional championship on Monday at 6 p.m. MDT. The winner advances to the national quarterfinals in Columbus, Ohio, from March 22 through 25.
Interestingly, the regional selection committee awarded the top four seeds to Lone Star Conference teams, with MSU Denver leading the list of four RMAC schools to qualify. If form holds and the Lone Star proves the stronger conference, then that group would be playing a mini-league tournament after Friday. If not, then anything could happen if the RMAC rises up in a bid for greater respect.
"When you look at the numbers and compare teams, 1 through 8 is really close," MSU Denver coach
Tanya Haave said. "So I feel like it's wide open. Nationally it's wide open. You're seeing all kinds of upsets. The parity is definitely here."
The Roadrunners took heart during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, when co-host and Division II expert Wayne Cavadi said a hot Roadrunners team could be just as dangerous as the No. 1 seed.
"The guy said it perfectly," Griego said. "When you get momentum this time of year, it's dangerous. And we're going to roll with it."
Though MSU Denver has only two players who are out of NCAA eligibility due to the COVID-19 waiver granted last year, six of them went through Senior Day ceremonies.
This is potentially their last hurrah.
"I just remember last year, watching the (NCAA Tournament) games on the couch with Kendra (Parra) and Jaela (Richardson)," Navarette said. "And it was pretty heartbreaking to see. I'm so excited to be, in our senior year, where we are. We've worked hard for it, and it's so nice to see it paying off."
It's the ninth trip to the national tournament in program history, and the first since 2018.
"That last team, we were very happy to be there and win a game, but it feels like there might be a little more belief with this group," Haave said. "People are thinking, 'Hey, we're not done yet.' This is a great achievement, but we've got some more work to do."
