Disappointed in not reaching the NCAA tournament, Michigan women's basketball focuses on the WNIT
Kevin Borseth saw the first region pop up Monday evening during the NCAA basketball women’s selection show and started to get a bad feeling in his stomach.
He saw the amount of wins the teams that were picked had compiled, knew what his team had accomplished and started to believe that the Michigan women’s basketball team would be knocked off of the bubble and into the WNIT.
About 40 minutes later, he was right.
“We saw the numbers of wins, 23, 22, 24, 21, and we just, we just knew,” Borseth said. “I think everybody had a feeling in their stomach, you could feel it. That’s reality.”
Michigan (17-12) will have to go on the road for the entirety of its WNIT run, which starts Thursday at Eastern Michigan, due to construction at Crisler Arena.
The Wolverines were disappointed they didn’t get to the NCAA tournament. It was a goal stated at the beginning of the season and one that three weeks ago looked like a good possibility.
Then Michigan lost in double overtime to Minnesota, 82-78, in the home finale and in the Big Ten quarterfinals to 11th-seeded Illinois, 55-47.
“Quite frankly, when we lost to Illinois in the conference tournament,” Borseth said. “I didn’t feel good about it.”
Still, the Wolverines, with a third-place finish in the Big Ten, thought they had a chance at reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time under Borseth.
“It’s disappointing and a bit of a surprise,” senior guard Veronica Hicks said. “It’s such a long and drawn out process that you kind of just put two and two together towards the end and seeing the numbers and what type of matchups they are picking out and seeing where you would fit or should fit.
“…As time went on it kind of gets there but we were pretty confident. After the fact, now we’ve got another tournament.”
Eastern Michigan could have a similar feeling. While the Eagles had no shot at an at-large berth, they did reach the MAC championship game, one win away from a NCAA berth of their own.
The WNIT is a tournament Michigan is familiar with. This will be the Wolverines’ third WNIT appearance in four years under Borseth and last season Michigan made the WNIT semifinals.
At the time, they viewed it as a catalyst to a potential NCAA tournament appearance this season. Now, they look at it as a chance to win a championship — albeit not the one they really wanted to be competing for.
“There is no sense in whining or moping about it because the other team is going to be out there ready to play and they don’t care you didn’t make the tournament,” Hicks said. “Teams are just like, they want an opportunity to play and that’s how we have to be because when it’s all set and time, you can cut your season down even shorter if you don’t go in there with the intensity that you need.
“This is a national tournament and you can still win a championship and that is something that this program has never done.”
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein
Comments
mr_annarbor
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:59 p.m.
When they lost to Illinois at the Big Ten tournament, I also had a feeling that they'd get passed over for the NCAA tournament. It's too bad from the fan's point of view, but while they did have some great wins, including two over Ohio State, they had some bad losses, too, including home losses to Minnesota and Detroit. If they could have managed a 19-10 or 20-9 record, it probably would have been a different story. It really is too bad, too, about Crisler. The home court advantage was big in last year's WNIT, and going to the games was a lot of fun.
Nice in A2
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 4:35 p.m.
Very sad that they couldn't have delayed tearing up the lower bowl for a couple of weeks. Michigan has a solid chance at an NIT championship. With some home games it would be an even better shot.
lumberg48108
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 2:18 a.m.
There is a WOMENS NIT? Seriously? Because the womens NCAA tournament was SO popular they needed more? Crazy!
Blu n Tpa
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 2:12 a.m.
The Team needs to re-focus and quick. That's one of Coach Borseth's strengths and now he has to sell it. All road games will be much difficult than last year but this IS a better group, with more experience. Winning cures all ills. Go win some games and just like last year UM women's BB will be one of the last teams playing in the country. Go Blue! TiM.
rensational
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 1:59 a.m.
Exactly, Tim. Michigan men's got too much credit in their seeding in the Tournament, and the women didn't get enough credit for what they managed to do during the season--some bad losses, but also some great wins. Very disappointing to be left out, but you have to go win this thing this time. Show what a mistake was made leaving Michigan out.
tim
Tue, Mar 15, 2011 : 11:55 p.m.
Ok -- you got ripped off -- plain and simple , but if you can win the NIT that will say more than winning a couple of games at the big dance.
JA Jones
Tue, Mar 15, 2011 : 10:24 p.m.
Keep the faith!