Carolyn Kieger woke up Monday morning hopeful, but realistic. The second-year Marquette women’s basketball coach, fresh off a Big East tournament championship, believed her team deserved a six seed but figured the Golden Eagles would likely be awarded a seven. So when the bracket revealed Marquette as a five, Kieger was understandably caught off guard.
“Oh my gosh,” Kieger cried into the phone Monday night after the selection show ended. “I am so excited! Shocked, but excited.”
The Golden Eagles (25–7) will take on 12th-seeded Quinnipiac (27–6) of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference on Saturday. If they win, they’d advance to play the winner of Miami-Florida Gulf Coast.