NCAA Quarterfinal Coverage
MADISON, Wis.— The Badgers are set to take on the Friars at the NCAA Quarterfinal in Erie, Pennsylvania at the Erie Insurance Arena. Wisconsin has won four national championships at this venue. Puck drop is set for 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday and will be available for stream on NCAA.com. Fans can also listen to Reid Magnum call the game on Fox Sports 1070.
Here are five things to know before Wisconsin kicks off its campaign for a sixth national title.
1. WCHA CHAMPIONSHIP REWIND: In the WCHA Final Faceoff, the Badgers took on the Buckeyes in the title game after defeating the Golden Gophers in the quarterfinal. Wisconsin defeated Ohio State 3-2 in overtime with
Lacey Eden scoring a three-on-three OT goal in under one minute of play. This was the team's ninth WCHA tournament title. Earning spots for themselves on the WCHA All-Tournament team are
Daryl Watts, Eden,
Chayla Edwards and
Kennedy Blair.
2. AGAINST PROVIDENCE: The match-up will be the first time Wisconsin has met Providence in the NCAA tournament. All-time, the Badgers are 6-1-1 against the Friars. The last time the two teams met, Wisconsin swept Providence in California to open the team's 2015-16 season. With a win on Tuesday, the Badgers would advance to the Frozen Four and take on the winner of the Ohio State/Boston College game on March 18.
3. NCAA NUGGETS: The quarterfinal on Tuesday marks the Badgers' 15th appearance at the NCAA tournament and eight-consecutive, which holds as the longest active streak. A win on Tuesday would also give Wisconsin its seventh-straight Frozen Four appearance. The team is currently tied with Minnesota (2012- 2017) for most consecutive Frozen Four appearances at six.
4. A HOMECOMING FOR BLAIR: Kennedy Blair makes her first return to Erie since joining the Badgers. Erie is home to Mercyhurst University where the Badgers netminder played for three season before coming to Wisconsin as a graduate transfer. Blair also played at North Dakota for one season before the school cut the program.
5. GOING UP ON A TUESDAY: This is only the third game in school history that the Badgers have played on a Tuesday. The last Tuesday game was played on Jan. 7, 2003 against St. Lawrence, while an exhibition game was played on Jan. 5, 2010 against Team USA.