The team will travel to Denver for the game on Saturday. It will be televised live on ESPN2.
By Daniella Bosio / Special to The Malibu Times
The Pepperdine University women’s basketball team, fresh off its magical West Coast Conference tournament championship, anxiously watched the television screen Monday in the school cafeteria to find out where they would be headed for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. With fans, friends, family members and coaches and faculty in attendance, the team learned it would face the University of Oklahoma on Saturday in Denver.
Pepperdine (14-16) was seeded 15th in the San Antonio Region. Oklahoma (29-4), who some are picking as a Final Four contender, was seeded second. Pepperdine head coach Julie Rousseau said she was pleased with the team’s seeding, expecting the Waves to be placed in a 16 slot.
“We have a big task ahead of us, but I know we are up for it,” Rousseau said. “We’ve been training hard for this every day. We brought everything we had to the WCC tournament, and I know we will bring it all again on Saturday.”
The Waves have proven they can perform under pressure. With a record of 1-6 at the beginning of the season, the team’s goal for an NCAA tournament bid may have seemed far-fetched and bleak to onlookers, but not to this united squad. Pepperdine entered the WCC tournament as the overlooked underdog, and finished as roaring champions. The Waves’ 71-67 victory over top-seeded Santa Clara in the championship game earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, as the Waves became just the fourth team in the 25-year history of the tournament to qualify with a losing record.
Pepperdine will face a tough challenge against Oklahoma, which was undefeated in Big 12 play and is led by freshman sensation Courtney Paris, who averaged 21 points, 15.1 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game
“I think that in order to have success against Oklahoma, we need to focus on our fundamental roles,” said Pepperdine sophomore Daphanie Kennedy, the WCC Tournament MVP. “For example, our team is good in defense. This weekend we really need to focus on our defense and all of the simple things in order to be successful.”
Pepperdine senior Kelsey Ball, the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, said she was optimistic and eager to play on Saturday.
“We really need to play together this weekend,” said Ball, who will be playing in her second NCAA Tournament. “If we work hard, play tough and put everything on the line, I think we will do well against Oklahoma.”
The Sooners and Waves last met in Malibu during the 2003-04 season, with the Sooners winning, 95-77. The teams have played two other times, with both squads winning once.
This is Pepperdine’s fourth invitation to the NCAA Tournament. The Waves last participated in the 2003 tournament. Pepperdine lost that year in the first round to Louisiana Tech, 94-60. The Waves also lost in the opening round of their tournament appearances in 2000 and 2002.
Saturday’s game, which begins at 10 a.m. PST, will be televised live on ESPN2. If the Waves win, they will go on to face the winner of Brigham Young University/Iowa on Monday.