The playoff futures of the men's and women's basketball teams were determined Sunday with the selection of the NCAA Tournament bracket on ESPN. Both Badger teams were seeded eighth in their respective regional tournaments, but the men's team is headed to Washington, D.C., where it will first face St. John's University in the Eastern regionals, while the women will travel south to Nashville, Tenn., to play Arizona State in the first round of the Midwest tournament.
Coaches and players alike are looking forward to the tournament.
\Obviously, we're very excited about getting to go to the Big Dance,"" women's Head Coach Jane Albright said. ""It's something that every student-athlete looks forward to anywhere in the country.""
Senior forward Charlie Wills, of the men's basketball team, whose team has also made tournament appearances in 1999, 2000 and 2001, said the feeling of receiving an invitation to the Dance never gets old.
""It's exciting to get there,"" Wills said.
For Albright and her team, the tournament will provide an opportunity for the women, who went 8-8 in the Big Ten and 19-11 overall, to prove themselves in the Tournament.
""This is a chance for us to prove what type of team this is,"" senior guard Tamara Moore said.
Although the Badger women had a season that encompassed a 15-game winning streak as well as a six-game slump, the team advanced to the semi-finals in their Big Ten Tournament March 3, giving the team a burst of energy that is with them today.
""I definitely feel like we've picked up some momentum at the Big Ten Tournament,"" senior forward Stomski said. ""We showed signs of being much stronger than we had been in the previous three or four weeks.""
Albright added that the team will look to improve their game in the tournament.
""It's ... one of those chances for us to keep working on what we think could still be a great season,"" Albright said.
The men's motivating factor in the first round is their narrow loss to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament March 8. They will look to avenge their loss against St. John's March 15.
""We all felt, right after the loss, that we wanted to get right back out there,"" Wills said.
Junior guard Kirk Penney said that the Badgers' seed is not as significant as the opportunity to play again.
""I don't think we're too concerned with what seed we got,"" Penney said. ""Just as long as we have another chance to play.\
