SEATTLE - It wasn't our usual set of travel plans, but for the most part, myself and the rest of the North Dakota women's basketball travel party is safe, sound, and ready to make history here in Seattle. All that's left to arrive is radio announcer Paul Ralston, who departed from Des Moines, Iowa, early this morning after covering last night's men's CIT game. We hope to see him here around 3 p.m. PT
Due to the short notice that we would be playing in Seattle, it took some creativity and hard work from the UND coaching staff and the travel agents to get us all here.
Getting to Seattle
With no Wednesday morning flights out of Grand Forks able to fit the party completely, we had to split into two groups. The five of us in Group 1 flew out of GFK at 7 a.m., arrived in Minneapolis at 8:15 a.m. where we met up with coach Brewster - he had flown out of Fargo as some of us will fly into FGO when we return and will need a ride home. We then quickly hopped on our flight to Seattle. Three hours and one showing of Tower Heist later, we arrived in the Emerald City*.
The rest of the party, who left Grand Forks on the 8 a.m. flight, arrived at the hotel around 2 p.m. PT. Forty-five minutes later, the team headed off to practice.
A little bit of fun
Since the majority of the players have never been to Seattle, coach Roebuck treated the team to a trip down to the Pike Place Market before heading to dinner. Most of the shops had already closed by the time we arrived, but lucky for all of us, the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market had not.
Famous for chucking fish back-and-forth to one another, the fish mongers looked for a North Dakota volunteer to give it a try. Taking one for the team, captain Nicole Smart took on the challenge. Click the video link above to see her in action.
After a few photos and a final stroll through the market, we then sank our teeth into some fantastic food at our usual dinner stop when in Seattle, The Crab Pot.
Down to business
While last night was fun, today it is all about business.
In less than seven hours, the Fighting Sioux women's basketball team will make program history as it tips off in its first ever Division I postseason game. Starting at 9 p.m. CT, the eighth-seeded Sioux will battle against the west region's top-ranked Seattle U for a spot in the WBI second round.
There are a few ways to follow the Sioux this evening:
Live audio (UNDSports.com) - Free
Live audio (iHeartRadio.com)
Live web audio/video (UNDSports.com) - UND Insider subscription required
Twitter (@UNDWBasketball)
* From 1869 until 1982, Seattle was known as the "Queen City". Seattle's current official nickname is the "Emerald City", the result of a contest held in 1981; the reference is to the lush evergreen forests of the area. Seattle is also referred to informally as the "Gateway to Alaska", "Rain City", and "Jet City", the last from the local influence of Boeing. Seattle residents are known as Seattleites.
