GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix know that they’re redhot as they practiced on Tuesday ahead of their trip to College Park, Maryland for the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The Phoenix are currently riding a 22-game win streak, tied for the third-longest active streak in the nation, and they enter the Big Dance as a No. 12 seed.
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Set to face the No. 5 seed Alabama for the first time in program history, the Phoenix are confident and composed ahead of Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. matchup.
Head coach Kayla Karius called the entire opportunity coaching her alma mater this season a dream come true.
“I grew as a well-rounded person here, for me to have the opportunity to comeback was a dream come true,” Coach Karius said. “Now that we’ve been here for a year and our family has settled in more, we are really happy here and want to stay here as long as we can to continue to make this a great program.”
Coach Karius emphasized that Saturday provides a great opportunity to put the program on the map nationally.
“We have an opportunity to showcase nationally what Green Bay fans have seen for a long time,” Coach Karius said. “I think that’s the brand of Green Bay basketball which is hard-nosed defense, playing gritty and with extra fire to do things for your teammates rather than yourselves.”
Coach Karius added that her team is not only fast-paced, but they’re fearless and ready to fight for ‘one more day together.’ Senior guard Natalie McNeal praised Coach Karius, emphasizing that she’s more than just a basketball coach.
“She cares so mcuh about as people, she’s a great recruiter,” McNeal said. “It’s not just recruiting you to come here to play basketball, she wants you here to be a part of this great thing and community. It’s about who you are as a person and how you can develop.”
McNeal concurred with Coach Karius as well, saying that as a mid-major, they’re not just trying to prove something, they’re in it to win it and compete.
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“We play for something bigger than ourselves, you can’t take any name for granted,” McNeal said. “Just because we’re a mid-major school in Green Bay, we have something to prove and we’re not going to just lay down. We’re going there to compete.”
The UW-Green Bay Phoenix tip-off from College Park, Maryland against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., Central.
