The Iowa Hawkeye women’s basketball team is in Cancun, Mexico, for tomorrow’s start of the Caribbean Challenge. The Hawks are 3-0 and open Thursday afternoon against Mississippi State before taking on nationally ranked Arizona State on Friday.
Bluder says they’re happy to be going to Cancun and staying in a nice resort. She says the experiences are also great for team building, and are something the players will remember for a lifetime.
Bluder says the games this week are part of another tough pre-conference schedule. She says they’ve always tried to challenge themselves by playing a tough schedule, and that includes this tournament that includes Mississippi State and Arizona State.
The Iowa State women will spend Thanksgiving in Nashville where they will take part in a tournament at Vanderbilt beginning Friday. Cyclone coach Bill Fennelly says college basketball player are used to traveling over the holiday.
He says more college basketball players understand that Thanksgiving means travel, and they’re off school, so it’s a good time to travel. Fennelly says the team will have a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and try to have a little fun while they are there.
Fennelly says he’s always felt if you aren’t going to enjoy the trips, then why take them. He says they always are focused when it’s time to practice and play, but otherwise, he says several of the families travel along with them. Fennelly says they aren’t a team of big country music fans, but will get out and see what they can. Iowa State plays Michigan on Friday in the opening round.