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The Rhode Island standout from Rockford will play Saturday against Alabama.<\/p>\n
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ROCKFORD (WREX) \u2014 As Brooklyn Gray and her Rhode Island teammates waited to hear their name called on Selection Sunday, they knew they had to bring it with the celebration.<\/p>\n
“We were watching everybody celebrate and we were like no, we gotta go crazy,” Gray said. “We gotta let people know we’re really here and we’re not coming to just be at the dance. We’re coming to win. We’re coming to have energy. We’re going to make the best of our moment.”<\/p>\n
The 11th seeded Rams will take on 6th seeded Alabama, but they’re more focused on playing their game.<\/p>\n
“Regardless of who we were going up against,” Gray said. “We are not going into this Tournament anticipating to lose, even if we were playing UConn.”<\/p>\n
Brooklyn will have plenty of supporters in the crowd, including an old friend from home who she played against in high school.<\/p>\n
“Actually [former Winnebago star] Miyah Brown, she goes to school down there,” Gray said. “I’m definitely going to get her a ticket so she can come watch me play. I think some of my family is going to find a way to get down there.”<\/p>\n
And representing her hometown on this stage, means a lot to Brooklyn in her final college season.<\/p>\n
“It’s amazing to me for so many reasons. I feel like we’ve had a lot of talent come out of Rockford on the women’s and men’s side. Just being able to be on that stage as a Rockford native is so special to me. And being able to put on for my family is really what’s most important to me. Because without them I wouldn’t be here. But the way they pushed me, the morals I stand for, how I go about things is all them.”<\/p>\n
Rhode Island plays Alabama Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPNews in Louisville, Kentucky.<\/p>\n