A year ago at this time, Scott Rueck was, by his own admission, scared to death

His team, the one with seven seniors that advanced to the Sweet 16, was in a state of flux. George Fox had never had a losing season since coming to Division III, and the thought of that was frightening.

Add to that that the one senior he had returning, 6-foot-4 reserve center Kristen Shielee, wasn't sure she wanted to play any more. He sensed that the game wasn't fun for her, and given that she'd be student-teaching in the fall semester (Rueck had never had a player student-teach and play at the same time), there was a great sense of the unknown as to what was to come.

"I thought we would take our lumps," Rueck said, "but look at what happened."

The unexpected was magical, an unbeaten run to a national championship, which ended with Shielee tucking the championship trophy under her shoulder as she exchanged high-fives handshakes, and hugs with her teammates and coaches.

It was magical for Kristen Shielee's older brother, Nathan, who entertained with t-shirts, including one that read "Lions, Lords and Bears, all mine," and the rest of her family, which cheered loudly at every game, even when Kristen didn't play.

It was magical for the student broadcast crew from KFOX, which had dedicated a great deal of energy and attention to the team over the past two seasons, and screamed and shrieked at every basket and blocked shot for 80 amazing minutes. It was magical for the roommate of one of those broadcasters, who along with three others, drove 34 hours to get to the games, picking up a $120 speeding ticket along the way.

This is a team that received nine votes in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25. Not nine first-place votes. Nine total points, which meant they were tied for 41st in that first poll. Now they're No. 1 in the nation, having beaten a four-time national champion in Washington University to reach the top. They're the equivalent of the legendary UCLA men's basketball teams, with whom they share a nickname and the banner of perfection.

Flash back to the offseason when Shielee asked Rueck if he even wanted her on the team, since she'd barely played in her first three seasons. His answer was a very resounding yes, even with all the scheduling conflicts with which she'd be dealing. Then in the summer, some magic began to happen. She began to dominate, as much as she does academically (a 3.9 GPA), and much like she did when she had 17 blocks in a high school game.

"(What changed?) I got to play" said Shielee, the master of the aw-shucks response. "It was nice not to have the pressure, to just be able to have fun playing again."

That's what Rueck was talking about when he told us earlier this season for our Around the Nation story that it was good to see Shielee smiling again. Shielee smiled all weekend long, even in the pressure of having the lead in the national title game slip away in the final minutes. The media timeouts allowed the team a little extra time in the huddle and Rueck was pleased that Shielee was the one who raised her voice.

"She told us to skip the ball, that she'd be open in the post because she can get deep position," said George Fox freshman Sage Indendi.

Said Rueck: "When Kristen talks, good things happen."

It was that which worked in the final minute of the game, leading to the clinching baskets that brought home a championship. She finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, two blocked shots, and the memories of the improable becoming possible.

"I had no idea how close the score was, or how much time was left when I made those shots," Shielee said, to much laughter.

Ignorance was bliss, or in this case, enough to win a national title.