There's Alberta Hunter song that opens - Come on by some my night, my castle's rockin'!

That was true up in Kearney, Nebraska as a crowd of 3,067 watched the unranked Norse (28-8), from Highland Heights, Kentucky, end the 3rd-ranked Coyotes' (33-2) 31-game win streak and earn the Division II Championship, 63-58.

A ton of those fans were dressed in SD red, but even with the loss, said one,

"It was absolutely worth it," Mike Pollman of Wakonda said of making a five-hour drive to Kearney to watch the Coyotes chase history and come so close to catching it.

"I'd do it again tomorrow."

The game was a battle back and forth pitting outside shooting against inside play. But, in the end, it was the play of Cassie Brannen, who scored 15 of her 18 points in the second half, that helped Northern Kentucky rally from deficits of 12 and nine points and claim the victory.

"What an amazing game. We knew once we caught them it was anybody's ball game," said NKU head coach Nancy Winstel. "At halftime, we felt like we were doing a pretty good job but just not making shots. We were also getting the free throwing but shooting only 40 percent. The key was we were getting there. We told our players to keep getting there."

"When we got down 12, and called a time out, we decided that wasn't an astronomical amount. We've been down before," said Winstel. "I thought we were playing good defense and getting good shots but just not knocking them down. This team has so much heart…we kept playing hard and (we knew) someone was going to start making shots."

Said South Dakota Coach Chad Lavin, who finished his coaching career with a 448-301 record, which included a 273-141 mark with the Coyotes:

"We had seven turnovers, we allowed only five offensive rebounds and we can't play much better than that. It was a great game. We had our chances. They play a style of defense that allowed us to shoot where we wanted. Unfortunately, we didn't make them. We can shoot better, but that's just a part of basketball."

"Our kids have nothing to be ashamed of," said Lavin. "Our point guard (Daly) played 125 minutes in the tournament and had only two turnovers. We played our style all the way. The kids understand it doesn't always go their way. Athletics teach you a lot of things. We have great kids who are already great adults and they're going to be great parents."

2008 Elite 8 All-Tournament Team
Angela Healy, Northern Kentucky (MVP)
Cassie Brannen, Northern Kentucky
Jeana Hoffman, South Dakota
Bridget Yoerger, South Dakota
Johannah Leedham, Franklin Pierce

Oh, and I meant to say: PARITY NOTE: The last 3 years has seen 24 DIFFERENT teams reach the Elite Eight. Count'em -- 24. No repeats. Nada. Impressive!