KEARNEY, Neb. - As UND coach Gene Roebuck left the practice court Tuesday at the Health and Sports Center, he pointed out Florida Gulf Coast assistant coach LeAnn Freeland to his players.
"We tried guarding her 10 years ago," Roebuck said.
UND didn't do too well guarding Freeland, but the Sioux defeated Freeland's Southern Indiana team 94-78 to win the 1997 NCAA Division II national championship in front of 4,524 Hyslop Sports Center fans.
It was UND's first of three straight national championships.
"I remember the championship game being unbelievable there," said Freeland, who scored 27 points in the title game. "There were about 5,000 people there and only about 200 of them were cheering for my alum."
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UND plays Florida Gulf Coast at 8 tonight in a quarterfinal game of the Elite Eight tournament.
Watching tape of this year's UND team, Freeland can see similarities to the Sioux team she faced in 1997.
"I really respect (Roebuck)," she said. "(The Sioux) are very basic on offense. And they can do that because they consistently have a strong inside post presence."
The postseason experience in Grand Forks is something Freeland says she can relay to her players.
"I stress that the postseason is an amazing experience," Freeland said. "Our players have always had to hear me talking about playing UND. For them to get the opportunity to play UND . . . I'm so happy for them."
Lake Region represented
Three former players and a coach from Lake Region State College in Devils Lake are represented at the tournament as a part of three separate teams.
Anna Leigh Brady, a junior guard, plays for UND.
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Jen Conely, a senior from Warren, Minn., plays for Florida Gulf Coast.
Babette Noah, who averages 11.1 points per game, is a senior forward for Southern Connecticut State.
And Roebuck coached at Lake Region before coming to UND.
Sioux logo makes appearance
At the Elite Eight press conference, the name tag in front of Roebuck displayed the Fighting Sioux logo. Behind Roebuck was an NCAA backdrop.
Roebuck was asked about his stance on the nickname issue.
"We feel we honor Native Americans," Roebuck said. "I am very proud to represent the Fighting Sioux."
Roebuck added that the UND men's and women's basketball teams went to Spirit Lake reservation this fall to interact with the student body and hold a basketball clinic.
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"Those are some of the positive things that people don't see," Roebuck said.
UND good from deep
UND may have the edge on Florida Gulf Coast today if the game comes down to a long last-second shot. The Sioux ended practice Tuesday with a game of halfcourt heaves. Freshman Mallory Youngblut knocked down two halfcourters, while Kierah Kimbrough hit one at the buzzer of UND's 55-minute open practice session. Karla Beck and Ashley Langen each hit one, too.
