Women’s Basketball heads to nationals for 5th consecutive year, after some close fought games during the regional tournament held at Anoka-Ramsey.

Heidi Holthus
Campus Eye Staff

The third seeded Anoka-Ramsey Community College Golden Rams Women’s basketball team  will be playing West Georgia Technical College in their first game of the DIII Women’s Basketball National Championship Tournament at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minnesota, March 13-15. After beating Ridgewater College 82-79 on March 1 and Minnesota West Community and Technical College 65-55 of the Region XIIIA Tournament, the women confirmed their spot in the national tournament. This will be the fifth consecutive year in a row that the team will appear in the tournament. Finishing fourth in the national championship tournament in 2013, this year seems to be different then the last.

The Rams went into the Region XIIIA Tournament, held March 1-2 on-campus at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, with a record of 22-3 overall, 12-0 within their conference, and seeded first seed.

Being down by ten points going into the second half against the region’s fourth ranked Ridgewater College on March 1, the women and coaches of Anoka-Ramsey knew that their level of play needed to improve.

“[I] told them to defend a little bit’, stated head coach David DeWitt, his advice to the players in between halves, “Don’t panic.”

The women did not take the lead until there was 12:11 left in the game. After being tossed and thrown around, the Rams battled through it all to win the semi-final. The opponent on March 2 was Minnesota West Community and Technical College.

“We have been preparing for them [MN West] all year long,” said DeWitt.

The women’s preparation paid off as they are now going to the national championship tournament. The last four years, the AR team has been on a national tournament roller coaster. Finishing in 3rd (2010), 1st (2011), 3rd (2012), and 4th (2013), the Rams have a lot to prove in 2014. The women have not posted a loss on their schedule since November 30, after losing three consecutive times on the road against North Dakota State College of Science, Arizona Western College, and Cochise College. After having no losses on their home court, the Region XIIIA Tournament challenges the team in two ways: a perfect home record and a trip to the national championship tournament.

Sophomore Guard Maria Loughlin told ABC Newspapers earlier this season about the season losses, “it gets us ready down the road to play every team like it’s the best team and it’s still early in the season and we’re just learning [about each other]”.

The team has certainly proven that they can play.

“I’m going to go home, sleep, and relax,” said DeWitt after the March 1 game.