LDN - Sports

Western Illinois looks to spring upset at Florida State

[March 15, 2017] By Danny Aller, The Sports

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Western Iliniois coach J.D. Gravina and his players know not many expect his team to go very far in this year's NCAA women's tournament.

And they like it.

"I don't believe many people have believed in us throughout this entire season and in this program," junior guard Taylor Hanneman said. "So I think that this could be the season, this could be the team that really does allow people to start believing in us again."

After a thrilling Summit League title victory, the Leathernecks (26-6) grabbed the No. 14 seed and face No. 3 seed Florida State (25-6) in the first round Friday night at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Fla..

The Seminoles are hard to beat this year, going 17-4 on their home floor. Florida State is a host for the Stockton (Calif.) Region with Western Illinois, No. 11 South Florida and No. 6 Missouri.

South Florida and Missouri play Friday afternoon. The winners play Sunday for the right to advance to the Sweet 16.

Florida State, which is hosting the first two rounds for the second time in three seasons, earned a No. 3 seed for the fourth time and just missed tying its highest seeding - a No. 2 in 2015. The Seminoles are playing in their 16th NCAA tournament and made the NCAA postseason in 12 of their last 13 seasons.

And the Leathernecks should have cause for concern about this little stat: The Seminoles are lethal in the first round, winning 13 straight NCAA tournament openers -- the second-longest such streak in the nation behind Duke (22).

Western Illinois, which earned the automatic bid by winning the the Summit League title in double overtime against IUPUI, enters with an 11-game winning streak.

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Florida State, the 10th-ranked team in the nation that boasts ACC Player of the Year Shakayla Thomas, dropped its last game against Miami in the ACC tournament quarterfinals.

Florida State hit the road last season and eventually lost in the Sweet 16. In 2015 when they hosted, they made the Elite Eight, so they know homecourt advantage is huge this weekend.

"It's comfortable. We play here all the time," senior forward Ivey Slaughter told Seminoles.com.

Added Florida State coach Sue Semrau: "Just the rhythm. A lot of things about being at home -- the comfortability that you feel, not having to travel."

Being in hostile territory makes the task at hand for Western Illinois that much tougher.

But Gravina said he thinks his kids are up for any challenge that comes their way after emotional ride just to get this far.

"I saw that name, Western Illinois, pop up on the selection show and it about moved me to tears," said Gravina, whose team is led by guard Emily Clemens' 19.2 points per game. "I'm just excited for this group. I told them that nothing about the show or the NCAA Tournament can take away from this dream come true."

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