Bulls are ready for Tallahassee

The voice came over the intercom. “Are you ready to go to Tallahassee?” asked the female pilot of the charter jet carrying the UB Bulls from snowy Buffalo to women’s basketball’s grandest showcase, the NCAA tournament.

And with that, plus an hour’s delay for de-icing, what sophomore forward Summer Hemphill called the Bulls’ “fun adventure” got underway on Wednesday.

“I’m so excited,” Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack said when asked how she was feeling, ahead of Saturday afternoon’s opening-round matchup against the University of South Florida. “Now we can put the ball down and make it dance. Are you kidding me?”

This is the UB women’s second-ever descent into March Madness. Legette-Jack led them to their first NCAA Tournament, in 2016, and was disappointed last season when the Bulls were snubbed, despite a strong 22-10 record. This year, they earned an at-large bid to the Big Dance on the strength of a 27-5 mark and an impressive run to the MAC Tournament final. The Bulls, said Leggette-Jack, have a veteran roster that knows what it’s doing.

“This is a team that’s locked and ready,” she said. “I’ve got five seniors telling their little sisters what the expectations are, what to do when they get on the bus, how to act when the media come. This is a fun year because I don’t have to do much.”

Guard Stephanie Reid is one of those seasoned but excited seniors. “This is a huge opportunity, and we’re really excited and really proud. It’s definitely a bit of icing on the cake that it’s snowing outside and we’re heading to Florida.”

Reid, one of four Australians on the team, said she had gotten many messages of support from back home in Melbourne. “We have a good following back in Australia,” she said.

Hemphill, who grew up in Buffalo, said she was especially proud to be representing her school and her hometown.

“Not a lot of kids get a chance to play for their hometown,” she said. “Thankfully, I’m one of those kids.”

The scene at Alumni Arena was relaxed and joyful as the team readied to board buses for the ride to Buffalo Niagara International Airport. A small group of staff and well-wishers applauded the players as they walked through the lobby, and the irrepressible Leggette-Jack, whom everyone calls Coach Jack, got the biggest greeting of all. She stopped to talk to the UB Dance Team and learned they’d be going to Tallahassee to cheer on the Bulls. “You’re going too?” she exclaimed. “Oh, thank you for coming with us.” She borrowed a dance team pom-pom and shook it, laughing along with the others.

The Bulls learned on Monday night that they were in the tournament, and playing South Florida in Tallahassee — a lot of new information to digest. Assistant coaches Khyreed Carter and Kristen Sharkey stayed up until 3 a.m. Tuesday morning watching video of South Florida games to prep Coach Jack and the players on their first-round foes. Meanwhile, the Bulls staff had to make preparations for the trip, helped by the NCAA, which arranged flights and hotel.

But the magic happens on the basketball court, and Coach Jack was hopeful that there might be some for the Bulls, both men and women, as there was for the St. Bonaventure men’s team Tuesday night when they upset legendary UCLA.

“They did what we want our guys to do tomorrow,” she said, “and what we want our girls to do Saturday afternoon at 1:30.”

Fans can follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. Use the hashtag #UBDancing.