Bryan Cole / The Collegian
In a room full of suits, TV cameras, one university president and even a few football coaches, the women̢۪s basketball players were joking.
Even with their NCAA Tournament fate still unknown, the Bulldogs were as loose and lax as ever.
According to two-time WAC Tournament MVP Jaleesa Ross, the laughter and smiles were just the ̢۪Dogs way of using nervous energy.
“We are really good at hiding that,â€Â Ross said. “Don’t let them see you sweat.â€Â
But still, it was clear the Ross and the Bulldogs have been here before. For the second straight season, the women̢۪s basketball team will be playing in the NCAA Tournament.
Bears the ones to beat
Fresno State earned both the WAC regular season and tournament title and, with that, the 13th seed and a date with the fourth seeded Cal Bears.
While watching the selection show Monday afternoon at the Josephine Theater, Ross and teammates had to wait for 45 minutes in suspense to learn their opponent. By the end of their wait, the banter quieted and the true nerves began.
“The same thing happened to us last year,â€Â Ross said. “They waited until the last region to call us, but it was great seeing our name up on that screen again.â€Â
The Bulldogs and the Bears will play in the Los Angeles Regional, the closest regional to Fresno, Saturday at 5 p.m. There was a good chance going in that the Bulldogs would end up playing No. 2 Stanford in the San Diego Regional, a team they lost to by 38 points earlier this season.
When Stanford̢۪s logo came and passed on the theater̢۪s projector, the team let out a collective sigh and even a few high-fives.
“We played them once already. Let’s play somebody else,â€Â head coach Adrian Wiggins said. “That is what we were thinking.â€Â
Cal is a familiar foe and an opponent that Fresno State̢۪s players and coaches are comfortable and confident playing. The two met in Nov. 2007, when Cal was ranked No. 13 in the nation.
The ̢۪Dogs were in the game late, but ended losing by four points.
“We only lost to them by four points. Their team is pretty similar to that one [that the Bulldogs faced in 2007],â€Â forward Haley Munro said. “Its great to know that we can go down there and give them a run for their money.â€Â
Knowing their foe
Wiggins was pleased with the pairing and the fact that the Bulldogs got a higher seed than they received in the 2008 tournament. He hopes that in their next meeting with the Bears, his team will again be close at the end.
“We’ve got to find a way to be in the game like that again and then at the end of it to make the plays,â€Â Wiggins said.
This time around, the game will be played on a neutral court. With the regional being so close, the team hopes that relatives and fans will be able to make the trip and show support.
“We are going to have a lot of Fresno fans down there,â€Â Ross said. “It is going to be a really great atmosphere for us to try and get this win in.â€Â
After the celebration and excitement of the selection, the Bulldogs will get to work and begin to prepare for Cal.
Last year, the team was happy just to make it to the NCAA tournament. This year, Fresno State has a winnable matchup and will not be content with just making it.
“Right now, you can’t relax or rest and feel like you have accomplished something,â€Â Wiggins said. “You still have to practice hard. We have to change our practice environment to make it even tougher.â€Â
Wiggins and his team have accomplished a lot in the past few years. But he feels that his team still has more to accomplish.
“Right now, they are playing to stay,â€Â Wiggins said.