Bobcats embrace another NCAA tourney run

HAMDEN — The random emails have landed in Tricia Fabbri’s inbox over the past few days, notes of congratulations and support from the biggest fan base in women’s college basketball.

Make no mistake: Fabbri’s Quinnipiac Bobcats have been adopted by UConn Nation.

“They want to see an all-Connecticut game Monday night,” Fabbri said Wednesday.

A year ago, the Bobcats made noise in the NCAA Tournament by advancing to the Sweet 16 with victories over Marquette and Miami. As Quinnipiac returns to the tournament this year, the team will travel north on I-91 for a firstround matchup with Miami at Gampel Pavilion Saturday. Quinnipiac (27-5) will feel the love of fans from all over Connecticut as it enters the tournament as a No. 9 seed.

If the Bobcats win Saturday, their second-round opponent will likely be the Huskies, which plays St. Francis Saturday.

“That’s been really fun having that different experience. Having this different expectation has built just a different feel going into this NCAA Tournament,” Fabbri said. “Personally, it’s nice to have a real fan base present for us in this situation. We’re fortunate enough to get back to the NCAA Tournament and now we’re having a different experience.”

How is it different? Start with the seed — Quinnipiac does not enter this year’s Dance as some anonymous mid-major underdog.

The Bobcats are the MAAC champion, but the high seed is an indication the team would have secured an at-large bid even without winning the conference tournament. And as the tournament bids become a habit, the process becomes, well, routine. Basketball is just part of the March experience, as players and coaches are subjected to off-court demands as they adjust to new environments.

That’s a source of pride and confidence for a program striving for perennial trips to the NCAA Tournament. “We certainly have been able to prove ourselves a consistently, successful program,” Fabbri said.