The argument can be made that there will not be a happier group of people in Cleveland today than the Ohio women's basketball team.
Just a week and a half ago, the Bobcats were dealt their eighth straight loss and hopes of obtaining even a home game for the Mid-American Conference tournament seemed out of reach.
But now, after defeating Akron, 66-56, to close the regular season and secure a home tournament game - which the Bobcats took advantage of, dismantling Central Michigan, 74-57 - Ohio is now heading to Cleveland for a quarterfinal matchup with Eastern Michigan.
Forward Domenica Silva, who joined the team as a transfer this season, said her team let her know how important it was to reach this point.
Everybody kept telling me 'we've got to go to Cleveland
we need to go to Cleveland ' she said, so it's very exciting to get the chance.
Happy as they are just to be there though, these Bobcats believe they can do some more damage.
We still have a shot to win this said guard Simone Redd, who grew up in the Cleveland area. It's March Madness
so anything can happen
and we have a great shot to win this whole thing.
Pulling off an upset against Eastern Michigan, however, will be no easy task.
Led by all-MAC first-team guard Ryan Coleman, the Eagles dominated conference play, losing only once, on their way to first place in the MAC West division. Eagles' guard Patrice McKinney and forward Nikki Knapp also received postseason recognition, both making the all-MAC second team.
Despite the Eagles' regular season dominance, coach Lynn Bria said that Ohio matches up well with Eastern Michigan.
They're obviously a very good team; you don't get a bye in the tournament unless you are
she said. They've got a good inside-outside punch with Knapp and Coleman
but I actually think we match up better with them than we did against Central Michigan.
Redd cited Ohio's near upset of the Eastern Michigan earlier in the season, when they put a scare into the Eagles but ultimately lost, 62-56, as a confidence booster.
They are a good team and all
but we're confident
Redd said. We played EMU tough the last time they came here
and coming off these last two wins we feel like we can beat anybody.
Tip-time is slated for 1 p.m. today in the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
