MINNEAPOLIS – Iowa State is faced with another chance to not let history repeat itself.

On Saturday the women’s basketball team rolled over Washington, 79-60, to advance to the second round, and awaited the news of who it would play next.

The answer came in the name of Georgia, an old NCAA foe that defeated the Cyclones, 89-71, eight years ago in the Elite Eight. Iowa State’s contest against Washington was reminiscent of its game in Fresno, Calif. two years ago, and now it gets another chance to redeem a lost opportunity. However, it won’t be an easy task to do.

Third-seeded Georgia, ranked at No. 14 in the latest AP poll, has a wealth of talent in both its outside and inside games. The Bulldogs’ size and physicality are aiming to be thorns in Iowa State’s side.

“We know we have a tremendous challenge tomorrow,” ISU coach Bill Fennelly said. “Georgia is an outstanding team in every sense of the word, in every phase of the game. We’re going to have to go play a great game to beat them.”

Much of that challenge will come from 6’3″ junior Tasha Humphrey, a Kodak All-American and all-conference selection who is a severe threat under the boards. She averages 16.1 points per game and eight rebounds, the latter a hazard Iowa State has focused on since the first round. Iowa State faced rebounding difficulties early on against Washington, when the Huskies snagged one offensive board after another to gain several putbacks.

“Georgia is very physical, they’re very aggressive on defense, and they have a lot of size to them,” said senior guard Megan Ronhovde. “Rebounding will be the big going to have to contain them on the defensive and offensive boards.”

Fennelly said if his post players game against Georgia is anything like it was against Washington, it will be a different ball game.

“The inconsistency this year has been our post play, and the experience level is young,” he said. “But I was so proud of what they did yesterday, and if they come close to that, that’ll give us a great opportunity to win the game.”

On the other hand, the Bulldogs are known as a team that, when its post play is limited, can easily fall back on its perimeter game. Senior guard Cori Chambers, a mid-season finalist for the Naismith Collegiate Player of the Year, has all but crushed Georgia’s three-point records. She is joined in the backcourt by SEC Freshman of the Year Ashley Houts, a player Fennelly said, “Looks like she’s been playing forever.” She is the fresh face on an experienced Georgia team that has amassed a 25-6 overall record.

Those factors stack up to a team that will be just as taxing as the one eight seasons ago.

“I think it’s truly a team that can hurt you in a variety of ways,” Fennelly said. “They can score a lot of points and defend great.”

Fennelly said Georgia could easily be the best program his team has faced all season, but senior Lyndsey Medders said Iowa State is fortunate to play in a conference that makes them equipped to handle Georgia’s talent.

“Luckily we play in a league where teams pressure full court and we saw some of that with Washington yesterday even, so the goal is to get the ball up the court and get the team into an offense,” she said. “Instead of surviving the first four minutes like we did yesterday, we need to win the first four minutes, and maybe we need to change our mentality in that regard.”

The dream of making it to the big dance is always present in the hearts of teams and players, but can ultimately remain an elusive dream at that. Fennelly said a great number of the players he coached never clinched an NCAA win, and it’s a feat that is difficult to ever accomplish.

“It’s so exciting to be here because it’s hard to do, and you want to instill that mentality in your players,” Fennelly said.

He also said the chance to play in the second round provides another chapter in a “storybook senior year” for Medders and Ronhovde, including a prosperous Big 12 run and near-conference title. He said the experience puts them in the Angie Welle and Megan Taylor categories, players he coached in the first meeting with Georgia.

Unlike those two legendary players, Medders said she and Ronhovde have been hoping their college careers won’t end against the Bulldogs.

She echoed Fennelly’s statement that the team is playing with no excuses or regrets at this point in the season.

“We don’t want the season to be over, and I don’t want to lie in my bed Tuesday morning and think about what if I didn’t do this or that,” she said.

“If Georgia’s the better team and we give it our best and have no excuses and no regrets, then you can live with it on Tuesday morning. That’s the mindset we’ve taken from here on out.”