NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Family is important in High Point, enough so that head coach Chelsea Bunbury had no problem with assistant Katie Kleiman missing the Panthers’ final practice before their NCAA tournament opener.
It was March Madness, and on Thursday, Clayman watched her husband win his tournament debut as the High Point men defeated fifth-seeded Wisconsin in Portland, Ore. Kleiman traveled across the country back to Nashville on Friday for the 15th-seeded Panthers’ first-round game against second-seeded Vanderbilt on Saturday night.
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“There are no direct flights…” Bunbury said. “I’ve been keeping in touch with her. She’s watching film. I gave her a mission to tell her what I wanted to see when she got here and what she was going to break down when she got here, and we can walk around and shoot with the team tomorrow.”
Among the 136 teams, the men’s and women’s teams of 30 schools participated in two competitions at the same time. Flynn Clayman and his wife are not only juggling coaching duties during March Madness but also caring for their 19-month-old son, Quinn.
The High Point women’s team should wrap up their first game Saturday night when the High Point men’s team takes on fourth-seeded Arkansas for a Sweet 16 berth in the West Region.
Bunbury said it was incredible to watch 12th-seeded High Point pull off its biggest win in program history in the West Region. As she packed her bags, she watched her son jump up and down on the couch and yell.
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“It’s awesome,” Bunbury said.
The High Point women’s team should wrap up their first game Saturday night when the High Point men’s team takes on fourth-seeded Arkansas for a Sweet 16 berth in the West Region.
Bunbury practiced with her son again on Friday. In High Point, families are surrounding themselves for support.
“She should be there to support Flynn,” Bunbury said. “This is his first NCAA tournament as a head coach. I can’t imagine what she would have gone through if she missed it. It’s incredible. She’s 100 percent where she needs to be. She’ll be with us tomorrow, where she needs to be.”
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
