AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State earned a berth to the Big Dance the hard way, learning its fate during the NCAA Women's Basketball selection show on ESPN Monday night. The Cyclones posted a 20-12 record despite the loss of two starters to knee injuries this season.
The announcement is doubly sweet, as Iowa State is playing host to the 2008 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds, played at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, March 22 and 24. Two regional brackets with four teams each will send a pair of teams from Des Moines to Sweet Sixteen games in Greensboro, N.C., and New Orleans.
"You talk all the time about teams earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament, and I dont think there is a team in the country that earned it more than this team did," ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said. "For this team to be in this position is truly something special for them and our staff. Im really excited for everybody and hopefully we have a little left in us."
In the Greensboro Regional, No. 7 seed Iowa State (20-12) will take on No. 10 Georgia Tech (22-9) at 11 a.m. on Saturday. No. 2 seed Rutgers (24-6) will face No. 15 seed Robert Morris (23-9) at 1:30 p.m.
In the New Orleans Regional, No. 3 seed Oklahoma State (25-7) tips off against No. 14 East Tennessee State (21-11) at 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by No. 6 seed Ohio State (22-8) against No. 11 Florida State (18-13) at 9:30 p.m.
All games will be aired on ESPN2, with the evening session games slated for simulcast on ESPNU. Monday's second-round games are at 6 and 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are on sale at Wells Fargo Arena, online at
Dahls Tickets Placeholder Page, or by phone at (866) 553-2457. All-session tickets (three sessions, six games) are $38 for adults and $23 for students/youth. Single-session tickets are $16 for adults and $11 for students/youth. Iowa State fans should check cyclones.com for information on tickets in the school allotment.
Iowa State plays host to the NCAA women's basketball first- and second-round games for the seventh time since 1998, in addition to serving as host to the 2002 Midwest Regional.
This is the first NCAA Championship to be held in Wells Fargo Arena, which opened in July 2005. The arena is home to the Iowa Stars hockey organization (affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars) and the Iowa Energy basketball organization (NBA development league, affiliate of the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat). It also serves as home to the annual state prep wrestling and basketball tournaments.
NCAA Practices Open to the Public
Friday's team practices at Wells Fargo Arena are free and open to the public. Fans should use the main north and south entrances.
Friday, March 21
10 a.m. Facility Doors Open to Public
11 11:50 a.m. Iowa State Practice
Noon 12:50 p.m. Georgia Tech Practice
1 1:50 p.m. Rutgers Practice
2 2:50 p.m. Robert Morris Practice
3 3:50 p.m. Oklahoma State Practice
4 4:50 p.m. East Tennessee State Practice
5 5:50 p.m. Ohio State Practice
6 6:50 p.m. Florida State Practice
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