Lauren Jensen Among Minnesota-Bred Trio Hoping To Bring Creighton An NCAA Championship
LAKEVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) -- Three Minnesota natives are on a magical Cinderella run in this year's March Madness college basketball tournament.
Lauren Jensen from Lakeville hit a game winner last weekend to beat powerhouse Iowa, and send underdog Creighton to the Sweet 16.
The Lakeville North High School graduate has played on big stages before.
"The bigger the moment, the better she is," said Lakeville North girls' basketball coach Shelly Clemons.
Now, Jensen has been launched into the national spotlight after her 19 points Sunday against two-seed Iowa.
"I was on my feet the whole time," Clemons said.
And a dramatic game winner to send her Creighton Blue Jays to the Sweet 16.
"It's definitely crazy," Jensen said. "Trying to come down from it, I feel like it's sunk in a little more now."
Jensen's in her first year at Creighton, after transferring from Iowa.
"She's totally thriving at Creighton," Clemons said. "I know the thing she loves most about it is that she formed relationships with her teammates right away. There's a group of them that are really tight."
Jensen has a taste of home in Omaha. One of her teammates, Mallory Brake, is from Hastings, and another, Molly Mogensen from Farmington, is an old high school rival.
It's no surprise to people who know Jensen that she's led the way on this Cinderella run.
"She's such a great kid, first of all," Clemons said. "I think she knew every custodian in the district here because she was always begging to get into the gym after hours."
Creighton is looking ahead to their next opponent, Iowa State.
"I think we're all prepared and locked in for that," Jensen said.
At the same time, Lakeville North is looking at Jensen.
"It is the talk of the school I think to start this week. Talking with other student-athletes," said Lakeville North activities director Mike Zweber. "Just to see what she's been able to accomplish here is something pretty cool."
Jensen -- who was a finalist for Minnesota Miss Basketball in 2020 -- holds the record for nine of Lakeville's top 10 scoring games, topping out at 47 points in a single game.
March Madness picks up with the men's Sweet Sixteen games Thursday night. Women's games start Friday, with the road to their Final Four coming to Minneapolis on April 1.