Women’s basketball NCAA tournament preview

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Junior guard Natalie Khert drives to the lane. Picture by Bryttni Carpenter

Opponent: Loras College

Record: 22-5

National rank: Unranked

Date: Friday, Mar. 1

Location: University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Team summary: The Loras College Duhawks received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, as they lost in the American Rivers Conference tournament to first-seeded Wartburg College. The team is led by standout forward Marissa Schroeder, who averages 15.3 points and is also second on the team in rebounds. However, their biggest strength is in their scoring depth, as they have four women who average double digit points per game.

Key to the game: Bench play. Loras has four players who average more than 26 minutes per game, and their players off the bench do not get much playing time. If DePauw players like Campbell Montgomery, Mya Shannon and Imani Graham can be affective off the bench, the Tigers could wear down Loras’s starters.