KEARNEY, Neb. -- Experience has been the guiding light for the University of South Dakota women's basketball team all season.

With four seniors in the starting lineup, the Coyotes (31-1) have ridden their hoops know-how to 29-straight wins and the school's first-ever Elite Eight appearance.

Yet, in tonight's 8:30 p.m. national quarterfinal matchup, USD will face a Washburn team with a different kind of experience: Playoff experience.

The Lady Blues of Washburn (Kan.) will be playing in their fifth Elite Eight, and the last time they were in this position -- back in 2005 -- they won the national championship.

"Everyone in Division II has heard of Washburn," USD coach Chad Lavin told reporters matter-of-factly last week.

In addition, USD owns a 6-7 all-time record in the NCAA tournament while Washburn has a 23-10 all-time mark. Although the disparity may cause the Coyotes added jitters to the already nerve-wracking environment, players say the biggest key will be calming those nerves.

"There will be tension, we all know that," said senior point guard Shannon Daly, after a team practice last week in Vermillion. "We'll have to adjust quickly to the atmosphere.

"It comes down to maturity and not playing like a chicken with its head cut off."

To combat this tension, the Coyotes will again rely on its seniors: Daly, Jeana and Jenna Hoffman, along with Ashley Robinette. The quartet has combined to average 43 points a game, yet more than that, they've brought a goal that has rubbed off on other players.

"All four of those seniors want a championship more than anyone," junior forward Bridget Yoerger said. "There's a lot of responsibility on me; it's all or nothing right now. But I love this team for having that attitude."

"This team does a good job keeping our minds on the next game," Jeana Hoffman said. "We have our team goals, but we don't let those distract us from the game at hand."

Waiting for the Coyotes in tonight's matchup is a Washburn (26-6) squad with three starters averaging double figures, led by senior guard Corkey Stiger (17.9 ppg, 87 three-pointers). The Lady Blues won the South Central Region title last week, which was their fourth-straight appearance in a regional championship game.

Asked how his team can beat USD, Washburn coach Ron McHenry had a simple answer: Defensive pressure.

"We've had to make adjustments against great teams all year, and one of those teams will definitely be South Dakota," Ron McHenry told reporters last week. "We'll have our hands full, there's no doubt about it."

The Lady Blues have averaged 69.7 points a game this season and have allowed just 57. They've also out-rebounded opponents by seven a game, but have averaged three fewer three-pointers -- an area where the Coyotes are tops in the nation.

"We should match up well with them," Yoerger said. "It won't be anything we haven't seen before.

Pausing, Yoerger added, "Well, that's easy to say, having only watched them on film."

With Lavin coaching his final season -- USD's last at the Division II level -- and this being perhaps the last chance for a national title, the Coyotes have put together arguably the best campaign in school history.

And for the Coyote seniors, a 29-game win streak, a conference championship and regional title may not be enough.

"We've had great seniors who have set the attitude for the whole team," Lavin said. "Our kids just like to play the game. It's been an honor to coach these girls and have this happen in my last year.

"We've certainly had a season that no coach could even dream about."