SIOUX CITY, Iowa — As the Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears women prepare for their quarterfinal test in the NAIA women's basketball national tournament against Thomas More, it's hard to not reflect on their 66-53 win over the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens on Thursday night.
“The fastbreak with Kloie [Thatcher]. I feel like that really set maybe the run apart to like, get going,” said Gracee Lekvold.
But there’s little time for reflection with another test coming up in less than 24 hours.
“Just moving forward, that's our main goal – the main focus right now,” finished Lekvold.
Prior to this tournament, the Rocky Mountain College women had never won an NAIA tournament game, and now that they're just two wins from a national championship game, the feeling of making program history still hasn't fully set in.
“I honestly don't think it's quite hit yet. We haven't really had a time to just settle down and really think about all the things that we accomplished and obviously we don't want to be done yet. We're not done yet. We want to continue we want to win a national championship. So I guess all I can say is it's been great so far, but I'm not ready for it to be over,” said Kloie Thatcher.
But one thing is for sure, the ride to get here has been a blast for the Battlin’ Bears.
“I would say making it, honestly. You know, like there were 16 teams that had the opportunity to come down here and for us to come down and do this. I think that's one of the best things ever,” said Thatcher. “We want to continue that. So I think just keeping that goal in mind and just being here is the best feeling ever.”
The Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears will take on the Thomas More Saints in the NAIA tournament quarterfinals at 3 p.m. Central, 2 p.m. Mountain.
