Lehigh University sends off women's basketball team to face Duke in NCAA Tournament
The Lehigh University women's basketball team is one step closer to tipoff.
"We've been preparing all year for moments like this," freshman Sibelle Zambie said.
On Wednesday afternoon, the team loaded up a bus with suitcases to fly south.
The Mountain Hawks are one of two schools from the Philadelphia area competing in the 2025 Women's NCAA Tournament.
Zambie and fellow freshman teammate Belle Bramer agree they're living out a lifelong dream.
"It's the coolest thing ever and it's the best because our whole team are best friends," Bramer said.
Lehigh is locked in for their first March Madness appearance since 2021. This time, they play No. 2 seed Duke. Lehigh heads into Cameron Indoor Stadium as the No. 15 seed.
"Let's go beat Duke. It's a business trip, let's treat it as such, have some fun while we're at it and let's go win a ball game," Lehigh head coach Addie Micir said.
The Patriot League Coach of the Year's family is tagging along for the trip, too. Her dad went to almost every game this season.
"You say she takes them, I like to think they took her. Their staff is amazing. These kids, the girls are special," Pancho Macir, Addie's dad, said.
It takes a special team to do this. Remember 2012? That's when the Lehigh men's basketball team pulled off an upset, beating top-seeded Duke.
"CJ McCollum...a big inspiration for all of us," Zambie said. "That's definitely a part of it and the history here and why not us?"
Arguably the team's biggest fan couldn't agree more.
"We watched them all year, they're tough, but, I put it this way I packed for a win!" Pancho Macir said with a laugh.
Tipoff is at 8 p.m. Friday.
