PALO ALTO, Calif. — One night.
That’s all the time the eighth-seeded Iowa women’s basketball team allowed to savor its first-round NCAA Tournament victory over No. 9 Rutgers before turning its attention No. 1 Stanford.
While most teams would spend a day focusing on an upcoming opponent, the Hawkeyes took a different approach. After a press conference, then practice in the Maples Pavilion, Iowa returned to its hotel, packed onto the team bus, and traveled to San Francisco to tour the city on Sunday.
With partial clouds but fairly warm weather, members of the team donned T-shirts and jeans before heading up to the Golden Gate Bridge and Pier 39 on Fisherman’s Wharf.
Players and coaches took photos together in front of the historical bridge with the San Francisco skyline in the background. Laughing and talking to one another, the team displayed no worries about its difficult second-round matchup.
For some Hawkeyes, it was their first time in California. Junior Kachine Alexander said she is enjoying her time in the state, noting it was nice to get some time off.
“Usually when we’re in a tournament, we play the next day,” Alexander said. “To have the next day off and relax and not be so stressed about the last game or whatever else, it’s great.”
Head coach Lisa Bluder said it was the plan to allow the players to have some fun and bond after the big win. With Abby Emmert, the director of basketball operations, she decided to schedule the trip for the players as a type of reward for their hard work.
At Pier 39 on Fisherman’s Wharf, another popular tourist attraction, freshman Morgan Johnson bought $12 worth of salt-water taffy and a new jacket.
However, when asked about her favorite moment thus far, she was quick to answer.
“The Golden Gate Bridge,” she said. “Now I can cross something off my list of things to do before I die.”
With a starting lineup consisting of two freshmen, two sophomores, and a junior, Bluder has used unconventional methods to help ease the pressure on her young squad.
Early in the season when the Hawkeyes were hampered by injuries and started the Big Ten season 1-6, the 10th-year head coach broke out the bats and had the team play wiffle ball in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. That was before playing Illinois on Jan. 21.
The Hawks then won 12 of its next 15 games en route to advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002.
The Hawkeyes will look to continue their season but know they have a difficult road ahead by having to go through Stanford at home in the Maples Pavilion. However, for now, the players will simply enjoy the moment and take in what California has to offer.
“I love California,” Kamille Wahlin said. “It obviously has the perfect weather right now. It’s exciting to come out and do things with the team. We definitely are lucky to get to experience a lot of things like this.”