Whenever his team hosts first-round games in the NCAA Tournament, Louisville women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz likes to invite opposing coaches out for a drink and a bite to eat.
Believe it or not, Boise State coach Gordy Presnell was the first one to take Walz up on the offer.
While Presnell’s 16th-seeded Broncos ended up being eliminated by Walz’s top-ranked Cardinals 74-42 last March, the networking led to a rare opportunity for the Broncos this season.
Over the summer, Walz was looking to complete the Cardinals’ 2018-19 nonconference schedule and discovered the Broncos also were in need of a game.