The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT March 13, 2010
Keep your eyes wide open this coming week, you could see history in the making when the North Idaho College women travel to the Midwest for the NJCAA tournament in Salina, Kan.
The Cardinals came from the third seed in last weekend's Region 18 tournament to make it look fairly easy against the rest of the Scenic West Athletic Conference field.
NIC SEEMED to breeze through its conference tournament, outscoring its opponents 268-220, averaging a 16-point margin of victory.
A 31-point win over Colorado Northwestern sways that number a bit, but a seven-point double-OT win over Southern Idaho and a 10-point win over Salt Lake show this team is for real.
The Cardinals made it to nationals last season, but this team is built for success when comparing the two teams. Considering that last year's squad was more likely to win a meat grinder style of game, this team is one that would rather push the pace, averaging 90 points a game in its last five games.
"I think we're a little more athletic than last year's squad," NIC coach Chris Carlson said following last Saturday's Region 18 tournament title. "They were a real physical team, real long on the inside. This year, we've got talented/athletic big kids. We're still young - but I think we grew up."
Sophomore Katie Sanders is the only player to return from last year's team who played a significant amount during nationals. Deanna Dotts was injured in the opening days of practice last year and redshirted.
Carlson also added that he learned a lot about the character of his team while in Price, Utah.
"Those road trips at the end of the season really helped prepare us for this," Carlson said. "I learned a lot about this team last weekend. We've got a good chance to compete. We've been talking all year about it."
NOT EVEN a couple of bumps in the road could take the Cardinals off the path to nationals.
NIC failed to get wins in its final three road games against Salt Lake on Feb. 13 and a pair of games in Twin Falls on Feb. 19-20 against Southern Idaho.
"It kind of served as a wake-up call," Carlson said. "I don't know if we started to wear down or what, but we got back home and got to work."
Since that Twin Falls trip, the Cardinals haven't been close to losing a game.
"They overcame a lot over the past few weeks," Carlson said. "They've played great. We've got a lot of momentum. It's been a solid team effort and now all the players are like - wow, we can play with everyone."
NIC DREW the No. 7 seed to nationals, and will open their second straight trip to Kansas with Monroe Community College on Tuesday morning. Looking at that in perspective, Central Arizona (the No. 4 seed), lost to Salt Lake when they played on Nov. 13 and the Bruins beat them 94-79 at a neutral site in Twin Falls.
"Salt Lake beat Central Arizona on a neutral site - so I think we match up with them," Carlson said. "I see some good things coming from this tournament. We've really got what it takes - speed up front, shooters, speed at the bigs. We've got a good all-around team, but we've got to win the first one."
With the roll the team is on - anything is possible.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by phone at 664-8176 ext. 2020 or via e-mail at [email protected].