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Their two victories in the Big East tournament had perhaps removed much of the doubt for C. Vivian Stringer and the Rutgers women’s team going into Selection Monday, so the suspense probably was not as great as it might have been.
But shortly after the Scarlet Knights got the official word that they had indeed made it into the NCAA Tournament, reality quickly set in.
Rutgers (19-14), which made the Tournament for the eighth straight year and the 21st time overall, was chosen as a No. 9 seed, and will open against
Saturday at Maples Pavilion, on the campus of Stanford, at 8:16 p.m. Eastern, in the Sacramento Regional.
The pairing pits Stringer against the team she coached for 12 years and led to the Final Four in 1993 before she came to Rutgers in 1995.
“They’ve got a real flair for the drama, don’t they?’’ Stringer said of the tournament selection committee.
“Yeah, Iowa,’’ she mused. “And I don’t know anything about them, except, probably, of all the schools that I would want to play, that’s not one of them. There’s nothing good to come of it, in my heart. There just isn’t. The last time I played there, I was so heartbroken to play, I said, ‘I’m never going to play here (again), unless I can get over this.’ But at least it’s a neutral spot.’’
And then, should Rutgers defeat the 19-13 Hawkeyes, it would advance to a likely matchup against No. 1 seed Stanford, on its home court. Stanford, whose only loss this season (31-1) was at the hands of undefeated UConn, opens the tournament against No. 16-seeded UC-Riverside.
“Isn’t that amazing?’’ Stringer said of the potential meeting with Stanford, which walloped the Scarlet Knights, 81-66, in a regular season game in Piscataway Nov. 15. “I’m humored by it. And Tara (Vanderveer, the Stanford coach) and I are good friends. It’s truly amazing.’’
But, Stringer added, she really can’t complain too much.
“For a long time, we were one of those teams that wasn’t likely to get in,’’ she said.
Which is exactly how most of her players saw it.
“I’m just happy that we’re in,’’ Khadijah Rushdan said. “We struggled a lot, and I think the way we finished, and our run in the Big East, helped a lot. I’m just excited we get to play another 40 minutes.’’
They probably punched their ticket to the dance when they knocked off then-No. 13 Georgetown, 63-56, in double overtime in the second round of the Big East tournament in Hartford. That was their 19th victory of the season, but their first over one of the top teams in the conference. Nikki Speed’s 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining in the first overtime tied that game, and Speed hit a second triple in the second overtime that helped Rutgers cement their hold on the game.
Now, Speed not only gets to play in the NCAA Tournament, she will be doing so in California, about five hours’ drive away from where she grew up.
“I’m going to California, so I’m excited,’’ said Speed, who is from Pasadena.
The team watched the selection show in the Hale Center, and Rutgers’ name came up so quickly – it was in the very second pairing announced – it seemed to catch everyone by surprise. There was no reaction by the players whatsoever – no cheers, no groans, nothing.
“I didn’t expect to see our name so early – usually, we sit and wait, (and experience) the anxiety of getting your name called or seeing your name on TV,’’ said senior guard Brittany Ray. “So (seeing it that early) was a shock. But I’m glad that we’re in the NCAAs. There’s nothing more I can say about that – I’ve been here four years and got to the NCAAs four years straight, so that’s a blessing.’’
Colin Stephenson may be reached at cstephenson@starledger.com