PonyFans.com is pleased to have former SMU post Katie Remke Seal join our team as the site's women's basketball analyst. Remke had a very successful playing career with the Mustangs from 1997-2001, during which she climbed to third place in SMU history with 109 blocks. Throughout the season, she will weigh in with her insights about the 2007-08 SMU women's basketball team and will call upon her own experiences and knowledge to shed some additional light on the goings-on with this year's team. PonyFans who have questions and comments for Katie can post them on the basketball board or e-mail them to editor@ponyfans.com.

As talented as the Ponies are, they all can benefit from the NCAA experience of assistant coaches Karen Blair and Deneen Parker, associate head coach Lisa Dark and head coach Rhonda Rompola (photo by Webmaster).

Our Mustangs are on their way for a well-deserved return to the Big Dance. The team persevered through the hours of practice and months of preseason for this moment. The Mustangs will face the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, but to be quite honest with you it really doesn't matter who they are paired against. I like our chances more being the underdog anyway - just ask UTEP.

SMU never has been favored to win a game in the NCAA Tournament, but we won our first NCAA Tournament game two out of the three times in my playing career that we made it to the tournament. For those of you who remember, in our last appearance in the NCAA Tournament (in 2000), there wasn't a scouting report out there that would have favored Karlin Kennedy or myself over 6-foot-7 center (and future WNBA player) Summer Erb and her North Carolina State team, but somehow, some way, we did it - we took down Summer and the Wolfpack. This tournament isn't about who has the best stats this season - it is about which team can play with the most desire and determination each game.

We have seen these Mustangs play with that desire and determination and know they can be fierce on the floor when they use their weapons. It will take Janielle Dodds, Delisha Wills and Jillian Samuels lighting up from inside and outside, it will take Sharee Shepherd making unbelievable defensive stops and the bench players stepping on the floor and making their presence felt.

In addition, and I know the team will hate to hear this, the players have to LISTEN to the coaches this week - they know what they are talking about. The team is very lucky to be led by a coaching staff that has been there before. The NCAA Tournament is not new territory for Rhonda Rompola, Lisa Dark, Deneen Parker and Karen Blair - they have all been here before and they have been successful. The coaches know that they will not be able to make their players faster or stronger this week. There are no huge improvements that will be made this week. The coaches' goal is to get the players to perform to the best of their ability both mentally and physically Sunday against Notre Dame.

This week isn't all about X's and O's. It is also about enjoying the moment and appreciating the accomplishments of the season. The Ponies aren't lucky, and they weren't lucky to get this invitation - they earned it. They fought their way to the top for this moment.

Good luck ladies. I hope you enjoy every minute of this week and play your hearts out on Sunday - this is what it is all about.