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Photo Gallery - March 19
WACO, Texas, -- A day before their first NCAA Tournament game since 1997, the Northwestern Wildcats got their first taste of Texas and the Ferrell Center at Baylor University.
The day started when Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown and team administrators gathered in a conference room at the Ferrell Center for a pre-tournament meeting with officials from the NCAA and the host school, Baylor. Coaches and other team personnel from Arkansas, NU's first-round opponent, and Northwestern State, which opens against Baylor, were also on hand. McKeown and Vice President of Athletics and Recreation Jim Phillips spent a few minutes chatting with Arkansas' first-year head coach Jimmy Dykes.
#B1GCats head coach Joe McKeown and AD Jim Phillips chat with Arkansas' Jimmy Dykes at a pre-#ncaaw meeting. pic.twitter.com/acIsFPYkZP
-- NU Women's Hoops (@nuwbball) March 19, 2015
McKeown also signed a piece of court that will be assembled for a display that will be at the Final Four in Tampa, Fla., next month. The seventh-year bench boss was sure to add "Go 'Cats!" underneath his signature.
After the meeting, the rest of the travel party arrived and McKeown joined junior Maggie Lyon and sophomores Nia Coffey and Ashely Deary at a press conference for the assembled media. The quartet talked about what it means to be in the NCAA Tournament and the matchup against Arkansas in the first round.
"To be back now is awesome," said McKeown. "I think these players are really mature from the standpoint of they understand they have built so many bricks right now and they have paid a lot of dues. They understand that they also have this opportunity that they don't know if they are going to have again. I think we have a great awareness right now."
On facing the Razorbacks, Lyon noted: "Arkansas is a great team. They have had a great season so far. I think we are just trying to focus on our game plan," she said. "I think our coaches are a doing a great job of that. We just want to kind of play our game the way we have been doing all season. I think they are a great rebounding team so we need to focus on that. We need to come out strong and focused."
Live on the dais in Waco, @mlyon25, @Niacoff and @ash_nicole_3 meet the media before the #NCAAW opener. #B1GCats pic.twitter.com/8e3xkWLDlf
-- Northwestern Sports (@NU_Sports) March 19, 2015
Thursday's full press conference is available below:
While the three aforementioned players joined their coach in the media room, the rest of the #B1GCats were meeting with the media inside their locker room at the Ferrell Center. Senior Alex Cohen talked with NUsports.com about her first NCAA Tournament experience thus far.
Once the media obligations wrapped up, Northwestern took to the floor for a spirited 90-minute practice. In the pre-practice huddle, McKeown took the opportunity to introduce the 'Cats to Fran Harris and Nell Fortner, the ESPN2 announcers for Friday's game.
.@espn announcers for tomorrow, @FranHarris & @NellOnWheels get introduced to the #B1GCats before practice. #B1GCats pic.twitter.com/ehF6elYrxd
-- Northwestern Sports (@NU_Sports) March 19, 2015
Speaking of ESPN2, the network revealed the coverage map for Friday's early games. Viewers in Evanston, the entire Chicagoland area and the state of Arkansas will be able to see the game in its entirety on ESPN2. The majority of the country will receive ESPN's national whip-around. Fans can also view the game in its entirety through ESPN3.com. The links below provide the coverage map and a direct link to the ESPN3.com telecast:
ESPN NCAA Tournament Coverage Map
Watch Northwestern vs. Arkansas on ESPN3.com
Stay tuned to NUsports.com for even more coverage of the Wildcats' trip to the Big Dance!
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