The Minnesota State Mankato women’s basketball team will face Georgia Southwestern in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight at 8:30 p.m. Monday in St. Joseph, Mo.
The Mavericks (29-5), who won the eight-team Central Region as the No. 7 seed, are in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2009. They have been led by Joey Batt, a senior from New Ulm who was named a first-team Division II All-America on Thursday, and Destinee Bursch, a junior from Eden Prairie. Both average 16.1 points per game.
Georgia Southwestern (28-3) is making its first appearance in the Elite Eight. Hana Haden was named the WBCA Division II Coach of the Year in her first year on the job.
The winner will advance to play the winner of Gannon and Cal State San Marcos in the semifinals on Wednesday. The other quarterfinal matchups are Ferris State vs. Tampa and Texas Women’s vs. Daemon.
The Mavericks men’s team is also in the Elite Eight, facing Ferris State on Tuesday night in Evansville, Ind.
JOEL RIPPEL
Erdman dead at 90
Bob Erdman, a member of the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, died on March 16 at age 90.
Erdman was a longtime coach in the Roseville school district, coaching boys basketball at Alexander Ramsey High School and girls basketball at Roseville High School, with the Raiders finishing Class 2A runner-up in 1993. He also coached the Gustavus Adolphus men’s team from 1981 to ’86.
