Headed Back to the Big Dance
3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 17, 2006
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The 2006 Southland Conference Champion Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team is headed back to the NCAA Championships for the 18th time in school history, but the first since 2002. The Ladyjacks (23-7) enter the 2006 NCAA Championships as a 13-seed and will face fourth-seeded Arizona State from the Pac 10 Conference Saturday in the opening round of the tournament. The game against the Sun Devils is slated to tip off at 2:30 p.m. (CST). If the Ladyjacks advance to the second round of the NCAA Championships, they will face the winner of No. 5 Utah and No. 12 Middle Tennessee State. The second round game will be Monday, March 20th, at 5 p.m. Both games will be played at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz.
The Ides of March: The 13th-seeded Ladyjacks are making their 18th trip to the NCAA Championships, but their first since, the 2001-02 season. The Ladyjacks are 10-17 (.370) all-time in the NCAA Championships, and have made five NCAA Sweet 16 appearances. SFA head coach Lee Ann Riley is 0-1 all-time in the NCAA tournament. SFA made its first appearance in the NCAA Championships in 1982 as a No. 5 seed. The Ladyjacks have been as high as a No. 2 seed (1992) in the NCAA Championships.
SFA vs. the #4 Sun Devils: The Ladyjacks are 0-1 all-time against Arizona State. The lone meeting between the two schools came during the 2000-01 season when ASU recorded a 67-45 victory.
Being Televised: The Ladyjacks' first-round game against Arizona State will be televised on ESPN2. It will be the second time this season a Ladyjack game has been televised. SFA defeated Texas-San Antonio, 56-48, on Fox Sports Southwest in the SLC Championship game. Saturday's game marks the 23rd time in school history the Ladyjacks have played a televised game. The Ladyjacks are 16-6 (.727) all-time in televised games, and 0-1 in games televised on ESPN2.
- SFA -
