GAFFNEY, S.C. - Despite leaving Timmons Arena on Sunday without a South Atlantic Conference tournament title, Anderson University women's basketball will be focused and determined to make a run in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament that begins for the Trojans on Friday at the Timken Center on the campus of Limestone College.
The No. 5 seeded Trojans received the highest seed of the two South Atlantic Conference teams represented in the region, as Wingate earned the No. 6 seed as an automatic bid with the SAC tournament championship this past Sunday.
No. 25 Anderson made the NCAA Sweet 16 a year ago when it defeated No. 3 seeded Columbus St. in the regional semifinals. This will be the Trojans tenth trip to the NCAA's with an 8-9 all-time record in the coveted tournament.
The Trojans will square off against No. 24 Clayton State for the first time in program history. The Lakers will be making their 11th appearance in the past 12 seasons while making "The Big Dance" 10 straight times from 2004-2014. Clayton State won the 2011 National Championship claiming the only Division II women's basketball nation title that has come out of the Southeast Region.
Anderson is coming off back-to-back 20 win seasons with two straight SAC regular season titles. The Black and Gold have been led by three All-SAC Conference selections, headlined by SAC Player of the Year choice Jennifer Monroe. In 28 games Monroe averaged 14.9 points and 9.3 rebounds, highlighted by 10 double-doubles.
Monroe was joined by junior guard Heather Jankowy and junior forward Alexis Dillard landing on the Second Team and Honorable Mention Team, respectively. Jankowy averaged 12.5 points per game and dished out 4.17 assists per contest. Dillard averaged a solid 9.8 points per game and grabbed 7.4 rebounds while providing an emotional charge for the Trojans.
Every game of the Southeast Regional will be played at Limestone's Timken Center, as the Saints claimed the No. 1 seed after claiming the Conference Carolinas Tournament this past weekend.
Anderson matches up with the winner of Limestone/Augusta should it win its quarterfinal game. The Trojans' NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal game against Clayton St. is set for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off at the Timken Center.
NCAA Southeast Region - Gaffney, S.C.
Friday, March 11
Game 1 - No. 6 Wingate vs. No. 3 Columbus State - 12 p.m.
Game 2 - No. 7 Francis Marion vs. No. 2 Lander - 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 - No. 8 Augusta vs. No. 1 Limestone - 5 p.m.
Game 4 - No. 5 Anderson vs. No. 4 Clayton State - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 12
Game 5 - Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner - 5 p.m.
Game 6 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner - 7:30 p.m.
Monday, March 14
Game 7 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner - 7 p.m.
