media notes
#8 Fairmont State (22-9) at #1 Gannon (33-0) 6:00 p.m.
Head Coaches: FSU-Steve McDonald, GU-Cleve Wright.
How They Qualified: Fairmont State won four straight contests as the sixth seed to capture the WVIAC Tournament and the league's automatic bid...Gannon is the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's automatic qualifier after downing California (PA) 77-68 in the PSAC Tournament title tilt.
All-Time NCAA Tournament Records: FSU 1-2 (3rd appearance), GU 4-6 (7th appearance).
Key Players: FSU: G-Ashley Vavrek (21.3 ppg, 2.3 apg), G-Kaitlin Snyder (11.5 ppg, 2.8 apg), C-Rachel Murray (9.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.1 bpg), G-Lauren Streicher (8.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg). GU: G-Kristina Freeman (14.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.1 apg), G-Carrie Nolan (12.4 ppg, 2.7 apg), F-Brittany Tabron (11.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg), F-Kim Vargas (9.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg), G-Tiffany Crocker (7.5 ppg, 5.3 apg).
Notes: Gannon is ranked No. 1 nationally...Gannon has won 15 in a row and owns a 48-game win streak when leading at the half...FSU guard Ashley Vavrek was the MVP of the WVIAC Tournament...Gannon owns a 4-1 lead in the series, including a 71-65 victory on a neutral court at Concord University early last season...Vavrek led FSU with 20 points during that contest...Vavrek and Gannon's Kristina Freeman are second team Daktronics All-Atlantic Region honorees.
#6 Millersville (23-5) vs #3 West Liberty (22-9) (@ California, PA) 8:00 p.m.
Head Coaches: MU-Mary Fleig, WL-Lynn Ullom.
How They Qualified: Both teams are at-large selections.
All-Time NCAA Tournament Records: MU 5-9 (10th appearance), WL 1-9 (10th appearance).
Key Players: MU: F-Raquel Green (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg), G-Mashira Newman (10.4 ppg, 2.8 apg), G-Ashley Moyer (8.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg), F-Jenna Craig (8.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg). WL: G-Tori Hansen (22.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 5.0 apg), G-Laura Malernee (13.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg), C-Andi Winney (11.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg), G-Jenni Robbins (11.2 ppg, 6.4 apg), F-Meghan Wiseman (9.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg).
Notes: West Liberty junior Tori Hansen established a new WVIAC Tournament scoring record with 111 points during last week's event...The Toppers rank third nationally in scoring offense...Millersville nipped West Liberty 64-63 in the opening round of the 2000 NCAA East Regional...Millersville, which allows a paltry 51.8 points per game, has limited 17 opponents to fewer than 50 points in 2009-10...The Marauders were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament 83-77 in double overtime by West Chester.
#5 Seton Hill (22-7) vs. #4 Fayetteville State (20-9) (@ Erie, PA) 8:30 p.m.
Head Coaches: SHU-Ferne Labati, FSU-Eva Patterson-Heath.
How They Qualified: Seton Hill is an at-large selection...Fayetteville State downed Johnson C. Smith, Virginia State, and Bowie State in succession to win the CIAA Tournament and that league's automatic bid.
All-Time NCAA Tournament Records: SHU 0-0 (1st appearance), FSU 2-5 (6th appearance).
Key Players: SHU: F-Katie Lintner (14.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg), G-Jordan Burkes (14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg), G-Orit Farchi (6.8 ppg, 4.3 apg), G-Erika Haitz (6.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg), F-Jill Emberg (6.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg). FSU: C-Tiffany Haywood (11.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg), G-L'oreal Price (11.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg), G-LaQuasha Jordan (10.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg), G-Danielle Russell (10.1 ppg, 4.2 apg), C-Deja Middleton (8.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg).
Notes: Seton Hill is making their first appearance in a national tournament since losing 104-84 to Claflin (SC) in the 1991 NAIA Tournament's opening round...SHU head coach Ferne Labati went over the 500-win mark for her career earlier this season...Seton Hill won 13 in a row before suffering a 76-64 upset loss to Shepherd in the WVIAC Tournament quarterfinals...Fayetteville State head coach Eva Patterson-Heath is in her first season as the school's head coach...FSU center Deja Middleton was named the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Atlantic Regional
March 12-15
Friday, March 12 (first round)
G1: #8 Fairmont State at #1 Gannon 6:00 p.m.
G2: #5 Seton Hill vs. #4 Fayetteville State (@ Erie, PA) 8:30 p.m.
G3: #7 Virginia State at #2 California 6:00 p.m.
G4: #6 Millersville vs #3 West Liberty (@ California, PA) 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 13 (semifinals)
G5: Winner G1 vs. Winner G2 (@ Erie, PA) 7:00 p.m.
G6: Winner G3 vs. Winner G4 (@ California, PA) 7:00 p.m.
Monday, March 15
G7: Winner G5 vs. Winner G6 (@ highest remaining seed)