• Photo Showcase: NCAA women's selection show

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LINCOLN — Nebraska’s coach used to watch selection shows with her team in a living room, but Monday evening Connie Yori and her players were actually the TV stars.

The Huskers hosted a big party this time, and ESPN was on the guest list.

Seated in three rows of chairs 15 feet from a wall-engulfing big screen that stretched from the ceiling to the floor, the entire NU women’s basketball team intently followed ESPN’s live announcement of this year’s NCAA tournament field Monday.

Some filled out brackets. Some smiled at jokes. Most didn’t even talk.

But as soon as everyone learned that Nebraska had earned one of four No. 1 seeds, the Champions Club’s main room erupted with cheers and applause from players and coaches, and the nearly 200 friends and family members who stood alongside.

There were no surprises for NU. Nebraska’s path appeared to be solidified a week ago. The way the Huskers acted Monday, though, they hadn’t been taking anything for granted.

And they certainly were thrilled to have ESPN’s cameras around, transmitting live capsules of the celebration at multiple points during the one-hour production.

“I’m so excited for us to put Nebraska women’s basketball on the map,” senior Vonnie Turner said.

Nebraska, which has never been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, joins Connecticut, Tennessee and Stanford as the tournament’s four regional favorites.

The Huskers will play No. 16 seed Northern Iowa at 6 p.m. Sunday in Minneapolis. They will face either No. 8 seed UCLA or No. 9 seed N.C. State in the second round. Their regional games will be played in Kansas City.

Most of that seemed to be already assured before the Big 12 tournament began, though. Nebraska didn’t know its potential opponents, but even Yori said Friday that she thought her team had earned a No. 1 seed.

The players wanted to hear it — and see it — for themselves.

“It’s still a little bit crazy. I don’t know if it’s really hit me yet,” junior Dominique Kelley said. “I’ve watched the selection show growing up as a little girl and to sit and be named a 1 seed just kind of seems unreal a little bit.”

Yori made sure to playfully remind her team as much as she could.

After the ESPN selection show ended, Yori sat directly in front of her players for a post-announcement interview with the network’s analysts that was televised live on ESPNU. She had to wait nearly 15 minutes before the segment began.

So every now and then, she’d look back at her group and whisper, “Hey guys, we’re a No. 1 seed.”

The players knew that they were deserving, though. Now they can be thankful to know that outsiders have recognized their achievements.

“We were looking forward to this night, just because we knew that we had the potential to be a No. 1 seed,” senior Cory Montgomery said. “It was really great to see our name pop up.”

The Huskers will try to validate it this weekend.

Nebraska is 3-8 in the NCAA tournament and it has never advanced out of the second round. The Huskers did win a first-round game during their last tournament appearance in 2008, but lost to top-seeded Maryland after that.

During the past five seasons, only two No. 1 seeds haven’t made the Sweet 16. Twelve of the last 20 No. 1 seeds (60 percent) have made the Final Four.

But Monday, there was little speculation about how Nebraska might handle its bracket. The Huskers just wanted to enjoy the moment.

“We’ve never been even remotely close to a 1 seed,” Yori said. “It’s a pretty special year.”

Contact the writer:

402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com

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