The rest of our trip has gone smoothly so far as we stopped at Outback Steakhouse in Charleston, West Virginia. Our team ordered a variety of food, from sirloin steaks to baby back ribs to garlic mashed potatoes and  a delicious cheesecake for dessert. The excellent dinner filled us up as we got back on the road for the next couple hours.
We arrived at our hotel in Roanoke, Virginia around midnight last night and checked into our rooms. I am fortunate to be sharing a room with Hunter Hill, who just so happens to be my roommate back on campus. Hunter was selected as an NABC  second team All-American selection, a prestigious honor for him. Our team is extremely proud of his achievement and  it’s well-deserved for a guy who has been our leader and tone-setter all season.
After a quick breakfast, we headed to the Salem Civic Center to practice for the first time. It was a thrill to finally step foot on the Salem floor and get acclimated to the court. We had another lively practice, in which we stayed focused and played with energy. Along with practice was also media day, where we took pictures and answered questions for the media members.

Following practice, we stopped at Hope Tree Family Services, to spend some time with adults who have intellectual disabilities, as part of our Final Four service project. Some of us played games like Wii bowling and bunco, while others watched a movie and drew pictures. It felt great to make people’s days a little bit better and take time to do something special for others.

Now we have some time to relax before our banquet dinner tonight. You can bet we will be watching the NCAA tournament games and hoping our brackets don’t get busted!
 
 
 
This is a written account by Augustana junior guard and multimedia journalism major Jake Norcia as he takes us with Augustana basketball on their journey to Salem, Va., the site of the Division III Men’s Final Four.