The Carnegie Mellon women’s basketball team could’ve been happy just making the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991.
Or the Tartans could’ve been happy just to win at fifth-ranked Hope College in the first round.
But, after another upset, here they are in the Division III Sweet 16 for the first time in school history — still not satisfied.
“I don’t know that any of us have gotten out of the business-like mindset of ‘one game at a time, next game,’ ” said guard Lindsay Poss, one of two seniors with fellow starter Liza Otto. “We just want to enjoy the experience and enjoy playing basketball rather than stopping to think about where we are.”
Where they are is staring down perhaps their toughest NCAA tournament opponent yet. After close weekend wins against No. 5 Hope, 73-72, and No. 14 Ohio Northern, 68-65, the No. 25 Tartans (21-6) now face University Athletic Association rival Washington University at 5 p.m. Friday at Thomas More in Crestview Hills, Ky.
The 10th-ranked Bears (22-5) swept the regular-season meetings, holding Tartans junior Lisa Murphy — the second-leading scorer in Division III at 23.5 points per game — to a season-low eight points on 3-for-5 shooting in a 57-54 win Feb. 14.
“We’re very excited to play Wash U. That’s exactly who we wanted to play at this point in the tournament,” said fifth-year coach Jacquie Hullah, who noted the Tartans had an 11-point lead entering the fourth quarter of their most recent game against the Bears. “Our kids are confident, we’re excited and we think it’s going to be a really great game.”
Getting the ball to the 6-foot-1 Murphy, who became the leading scorer in school history Saturday (1,602 career points) — “I was glad that it happened during all this because it didn’t have to be a big deal, and we could focus on the Sweet 16 and less on that,” she said, with a laugh — will be crucial this time against Washington. If the Tartans’ familiar foe finds a way to limit Murphy again, Poss, Otto and junior guard Jackie Hudepohl all average at least 12 points per game.
No matter what happens — a potential Elite Eight matchup Saturday with top-ranked powerhouse Thomas More, or a loss ending the best season in Carnegie Mellon history — the Tartans already have shown there’s more than just high-level academics on Forbes Avenue this March.
“Even on campus, we’re not very much equated with athletics or being athletes, but it’s just been really magical,” Poss said. “I don’t think any of us had any sort of expectations, whether they be high or low, so I think we’re all just enjoying it as it comes. Taking it one game at a time, one opponent at a time, just playing Tartans basketball and having a really good time with it.”
California
Coach Jess Strom and the California women’s basketball team will get the chance to defend their Division II national title. After beating rival IUP, 62-52, Sunday to repeat as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champions, the Vulcans (24-5) — seeded second in the Atlantic regional — begin NCAA tournament play at 2:30 p.m. Friday against No. 7 seed Chowan (20-8) in Richmond, Va. Star junior point guard Miki Glenn scored 30 points on 8-for-15 shooting in the Vulcans’ NCAA tournament-clinching victory in the PSAC final.
IUP
Despite their loss in the PSAC title, the Crimson Hawks (21-8) received a bid to the NCAA tournament, as well. Seeded eighth, they open Atlantic regional play with a first-round game at 5 p.m. Friday against top seed and host Virginia Union (25-2) in Richmond.
Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: March 10, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
