This past weekend, the DePauw women’s basketball team earned their 14th straight NCAA tournament bid after winning the NCAC conference tournament. Amongst the outstanding performances from the tournament, none were as important as the contributions from junior Emily Budde. Budde, who was named the Nan Nicholas Award winner as the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAC conference tournament, averaged 13.3 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, and 1.3 steals per game across the three tournament games. Budde’s performance at the tournament has helped her earn Tiger of the Week honors from The DePauw.
The DePauw: How does it feel to be back in the national tournament for the third time in your career?
Emily Budde: It feels great. It's always our goal to make it to the tournament every year. We've worked very hard up to this point so it feels good to have it pay off. We definitely deserved it.
TDP: What is the team doing to prepare for the national tournament and for Gustavus Adolphus on Friday?
EB: We are starting to watch film and beginning to scout them already. Our practices focus on a little bit of us and what we need to improve on, and then the rest is working on what we need to do to beat them by reassessing our offense and defense as well as practicing against their style defense and offense.
TDP: What was the team's mentality before the conference tournament? What were the team's goals going into the tournament?
EB: Our mentality before the tournament was "take what's ours." After winning the conference regular season outright we felt very confident in ourselves and felt we deserved to win the tournament and to advance. Winning the tournament has always been the goal.
TDP: How do you think you've improved as a player over the course of this season and in your career at De Pauw?
EB: I think I'm always improving. The principles of playing in this program have become so much easier and natural to me and these are what make this program so successful. This season has been a tough one for me because I have been battling injuries all season long and never really feeling truly healthy and like myself. It felt good this weekend to finally start feeling like myself on the court and to be peaking at the right time of the season.
TDP: What has been your favorite part about this basketball season as compared to previous seasons?
EB: This season has been all around the most enjoyable. Even though it's been kind of tough for me injury wise, being on this team has never been better. Everyone genuinely cares about the team and our success and will do anything to help us reach our goals. We also have exceptional leadership in our seniors this year that has helped to bring everyone together and make it so much fun. I'm excited to continue on with this group of girls.