Members of the Three Rivers women's basketball team were up bright and early Sunday in order to catch the bus to Texas for the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. 

Along with coffee and breakfast they brought on the bus, there were also members of the community and the college in the parking lot of the Bess Activity Center to send off the Raiders for the second straight year.

Three Rivers President Dr. Wesley Payne popped onto the bus before the team hit the road.

The Three Rivers women's basketball team poses for a team photo next to the bus prior to leaving Sunday, March 13, 2022, on the Three Rivers College campus in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

DAR/Robert Augsdorfer

 

"I just want to say, bring us home a championship," he said.

State senator Jason Bean invited the team to the state capital should that happens.

Like a lot of fans, Three Rivers Athletic Director Brian Bess said he will be making the trip later in the week.

"I'll be making the trip to cheer them on," Bess said. "But I won't be there until Wednesday."

Three Rivers, the top seed and only unbeaten team in the tournament, will play at 2 p.m. Thursday in the second round.

When the Raiders were finished taking team photos, giving hugs and saying goodbyes to friends and family and a quick stop in Van Buren to pick up the voice of the Raiders, Dr. Tim Hager, the team was ready to hit the long literal road to Lubbock and hopefully stay there for a little over a week.

After a couple of stops on the road for lunch and breaks while driving by a few sights such as the home of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, the team arrived at the hotel in Chickasha, Oklahoma, just under five hours away from Lubbock to spend the night before finishing up the drive on Monday.

"I really wanted to get past Oklahoma City so we didn't have to deal with Monday morning traffic," Raiders coach Alex Wiggs said on the bus. "I just want the girls to get some rest and hit the road early (Monday) so we have time to practice in the afternoon."

Fans not wanting to make the 12-plus hour drive can watch games online. The cost is $30 for the entire tournament on the NJCAA Network at www.njcaa.org/network starting with the opening round Wednesday.

Robert Augsdorfer - Daily American Republic