March 16, 2002

GAME: No. 12 UNLV (23-7) vs. No. 5 Minnesota (21-7).

REGIONAL: Midwest, First Round.

TIME: Saturday, 5 p.m. EST.

SITE: Carmichael Auditorium, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Minnesota completed a breakthrough season in less-than-stellar fashion. But that won't keep the Gophers from enjoying their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 1994.

The fifth-seeded Gophers are eagerly looking forward to taking on No. 12 seed Nevada-Las Vegas on Saturday in a first-round Midwest Region game at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, N.C.

"We are very excited," said Minnesota coach Brenda Oldfield. "This is a great reward for our hard work. I am disappointed for our fans that might not be able to see us play in the tournament. But our team is full of road warriors. We won't be intimidated."

The Gophers went an impressive 8-3 on the road this season, but they are still trying to shake off the lingering effects of a poor finish.

Minnesota dropped three of its last four games, including a 74-64 loss to Wisconsin in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. The slump likely cost the Gophers a No. 4 seed, and a chance to host a first-round game.

"The past two weeks really hurt us," said Minnesota sophomore guard Lindsay Whalen, the team's leading scorer. "We controlled our own destiny and let it get away. This shows the conference does not consider us an elite team and thought (fourth-seeded) Penn State was better. But we can use that as motivation."

Whalen and the Gophers will have to contend with a Lady Rebels squad that is also making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1994. UNLV is led by 6-foot-2 senior forward Linda Frohlich, who averages 21.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

"It's going to be a high-scoring game," Lady Rebels coach Regina Miller said. "Both teams are going to be hungry. It will be up-tempo and fast-paced."

Whalen is looking forward to the challenge.

"I thrive on playing in big games," Whalen said. "And is is as big as they come. It's going to be exciting and a lot of fun."

PROBABLE STARTERS: UNLV - F Frohlich (21.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg), F Sherry McCracklin (4 ppg, 4.1 rpg), C Dishawn McCracklin (3.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg), G Constance Jinks (17 ppg, 4 apg), G Julia Gray (4.3 ppg, 2.4 spg). Minnesota - F Kadidja Andersson (10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg), F Lindsay Lieser (8 ppg, 2.6 rpg), C Janel McCarville (13.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg), G Whalen (21.7 ppg, 5.3 apg), G Corrin Von Wald (12 ppg, 5.9 rpg).

HOW THEY GOT HERE: UNLV - At-large bid, Mountain West Conference. Minnesota - At-large bid, Big Ten Conference.

ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: UNLV - 3-7, 7 years. Minnesota - 1-1, 1 year.