The Fighting Saints women’s basketball team gathered in the conference room of the P.E. Center to watch the reveal of the NAIA women’s national tournament bracket. The Saints received a number two seed and will face the University of Pikeville and after playing other Frontier conference teams at least three, sometimes four times, head coach Rachelle Sayers is excited for the change of pace.
“You’re just excited for whomever you get. After you play in a league where you play each team three times, and with the conference tournament four times, you’re excited to play someone new. Somebody that we’ve never matched up before with, somebody we’ve never see,” said Sayers. “We’ve seen them at the national tournament before, but never in a tournament or anything like that. So that’s kind of exciting to be able to step on the floor with somebody that is at the same advantages that you are and hasn’t been watching you play since October.”
Luckily for the five Frontier conference teams, travel won’t be as much of a hassle with the tournament being hosted in Billings.
When it was first moved to Billings we we’re worried about not having that experience,” said senior Hannah Dean. “We kind of wanted to go somewhere, but last year having it there, having the fans support, even in the late games. That second game last year, we played last year at 10 o’clock at night, we still had a full crowd. So, just having our fans there is huge, and it’s kind of nice to be close to home ”
The Fighting Saints and the Pikeville Bears are set to square off on Mar. 14 at 8 p.m. at Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings.
