Best-case scenario for Hawkeye women? Wichita

IOWA CITY - From a traveler's perspective, Wichita is as good as it gets.

The NCAA women's basketball tournament pairings will be released today (6 p.m., ESPN). If you're a fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes (or Iowa State or UNI, for that matter), plan to fly if you want to watch in person.

There simply are no first- and second-round sites nearby.

“We're rooting for Wichita,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said Friday. “Fans can get there, though it's a pretty long drive (about 7 hours from Iowa City).

“Plus, it's a neutral court. That's the most important thing - we wouldn't be catching anybody on their home court.”

By all accounts, a No. 6 seed would be the most likely placement for Iowa (22-8), though a “procedural bump” could move the Hawkeyes up to a 5 or down to a 7.

If the Hawkeyes are a No. 6 seed, Wichita is a very possible destination for the first two rounds. So are Spokane, Wash., Auburn, Ala., Shreveport, La., Salt Lake City, Albuquerque and Charlottesville, Va.

Worse-case scenarios would probably be a drop to 7 and a trip to Durham, N.C., or Cincinnati, where likely No. 2 seeds Duke and Xavier will host.

Iowa figures to make the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year. The Hawkeyes advanced to the second round last year, beating Rutgers before falling to Stanford.

According to realtimerpi.com, the Hawkeyes have an RPI of 18. They tied for third in the Big Ten and are 5-6 against teams in the RPI top 50, including wins over Ohio State (9) and Michigan State (15). Their worst losses were to Michigan (61) and Purdue (56).

Iowa's last Sweet 16 appearance was in 1996.

“That's definitely a goal,” Bluder said. “But we don't want to take anything for granted in the first round.”

Bluder said the Hawkeyes probably will be without reserve forward Hannah Draxten (back injury) for the NCAA tournament.