UNC Women’s Basketball To Host Opening Rounds of NCAA

Selection Sunday provides a lot of attention on men’s college basketball, and had Carolina fans holding their breath to see how the Tar Heels would be seeded. But of course, it’s not only the UNC men’s team that will be trying to make a run in the NCAA tournament. Hall of Fame coach Sylvia Hatchell’s team received an at-large bid and was placed as a No. 4 seed in the Greensboro region after the tournament bracket was announced Monday afternoon.

Carolina will continue its postseason with a match against 13th-seeded Liberty on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Chapel Hill. That’s right. The Tar Heels will play the first two games of the tournament at home in historic Carmichael Arena.

A home-game hosting position is huge for Coach Hatchell’s team, who finished at 24-8 and spent its entire regular season ranked among the top-20 nationally. And she says this is the perfect scenario for the Heels to gain momentum and advance through the Big Dance.

“It was our goal to be one of the top-16 teams, to host the first two rounds, then to go to Greensboro. We can stay at home and we love Greensboro. We’ve played there a lot – then on to Tampa.”

Tampa, Florida is the host of this year’s Final Four, the last three games before an NCAA women’s basketball champion is announced. But before UNC reaches that mark, Carolina may have some challenges even in front of familiar crowds.

“There’s some added pressure with playing at home, too. People expect you to win,” Coach Hatchell said. “But the biggest thing is we’re here for our fans and now we need our fans to fill the place up. What else are you going to do at 11 o’ clock on Saturday morning? You’re too old to watch cartoons – well, I think. What else are you going to do? Come out and cheer us on to victory. “

Within Coach Hatchell’s 950-plus winning career, she and UNC are no strangers to big NCAA tournament games. Her team has made three appearances in the Final Four and won the 1994 national title. Also, Carolina has advanced to at least the regional semifinal game in 14 of its last 19 NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently last season when the Tar Heels reached the Elite Eight as a No. 4 seed.

Their opponent, Liberty, was crowned the Big South Tournament Champions for the 16th time in 19 years. Their longest stay in the NCAA women’s tournament came in 2005 when the Flames advanced to the Sweet 16.

On Saturday morning, it will be two weeks exactly since UNC has played a game after a heart-breaking overtime loss to Louisville in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Coach Hatchell says she has been keeping her players fresh throughout the break with constant scrimmaging and up-tempo practices.

“We took off four days last week after we came back from the ACC Tournament and they went home and had Wednesday through Saturday off. But we practiced last night and today and it gives them a good break. They come back more fresh and excited after breaking up the season. It’s like that regular season, then the ACC’s are over and now it’s the NCAA Tournament. It’s a six game season and every game is so big and important.”

The winner of the Saturday showdown will advance to face the winner of the first-round game between No. 5 seed Ohio State and No. 12 seed James Madison Monday.

Click here to view the entire NCAA Women’s Tournament bracket.