Texas Two-Step: Women's Basketball Earns 11-Seed in NCAA Tournament

Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy during January 8th's game against Ole Miss at Auburn Arena
(Photo: Auburn Athletics/Wade Rackley)
The NCAA Selection Committee and ESPN kept Auburn Women’s Basketball on their toes Monday night. In the closing moments of the NCAA Selection Show, the team crossed their fingers in hopes of hearing their name called, as part of the Lexington Regional. Then, the moment happened. NC State was named as a 6-seed, and that they would be meeting the 11-seed Auburn Tigers in Austin, Texas on Friday morning at 11 A.M. central. A celebration ensued, as this season’s team had an opportunity to continue their season. “I honestly had a feeling that this was going to happen,” senior Katie Frerking said of her team’s selection being announced towards the end of the broadcast. “We waited it out, we got in, we are excited.” Auburn will open the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed and will battle the 6-seed NC State Wolfpack at the Frank Erwin Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. This will be the Tigers second consecutive trip to the tournament, and, like last season, will be opening in the Lone Star State. The Tigers are prepared for this trip to the “big dance”, says senior Brandy Montgomery. “You have to be ready for everything. Media is going to be there, You are going to have shorter practices. Thankfully we have the experience under our belt now. We know coming into the tournament, it’s “one and done,” you have to come ready to play. You have to try to come out with the win because nobody wants to go home.” This will be Auburn’s 20th trip to the NCAA Tournament, and the second in a row after missing the previous six seasons. The Tigers made it to the second round of the tournament last season as a 6-seed, defeating St. John’s before falling to 1-seed Baylor in Waco. Auburn has met NC State only once in the Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy era, that was in 2012. The Tigers fell to the Wolfpack 85-71 in Raleigh. Auburn faces NC State to open the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 11 A.M. The winner will face the winner of Texas/Central Arkansas on Sunday, time TBA.