Central Arkansas Claims No. 1 Seed in Southland Tournament
2016 Southland Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Bracket
FRISCO, Texas – Central Arkansas will be the top seed in the 2016 Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament when it begins Thursday at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
The Sugar Bears (26-3, 16-2 Southland) conclude their season with a program record for regular season wins and conference wins, and get the fourth 26-win season in program history while setting a new high mark for wins in a season during their Division I era. In getting their first season sweep of the Cowgirls (19-11, 11-7) since 2012, the Sugar Bears head into next week’s Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas as the No. 1 seed while riding a seven-game winning streak. With a week before their next game, the Sugar Bears will begin preparation for their sixth straight Southland tournament appearance – though they won’t know their opponent until Friday afternoon as they await their opponent in the semifinals after earning the double bye with the top seed.
No. 5 seed Houston Baptist and No. seed 8 Lamar open the women’s basketball tournament Thursday at 11 a.m. HBU completed league action at .500 with a 9-9 mark while the Cardinals posted an 7-11 conference record. The Huskies entered last year’s tournament as the No. 8 seed and made a run to the championship game, but fell short to reigning tournament champion Northwestern State. The winner of Game One will take on No. 4 McNeese State Friday at 11 a.m. The Cowgirls finished the regular season 11-7 in conference action. Lamar and McNeese both went one-and-done in last year’s tournament. The winner will advance to take on No. 1 seed Central Arkansas Saturday at 1 p.m. for the semifinals
On the other side of the bracket, Northwestern State locked up the No. 2 seed after finishing 13-5 in league play and 19-10 overall in the regular season. The Lady Demons return to Katy as the 2014 and 2015 Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament title winner. Northwestern State, like UCA, has a double bye into the semifinals and will play its first game Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN 3.
The first game on the Lady Demons’ side of the bracket pits No. 6 seed Nicholls and No. 7 seed Sam Houston State against one another Thursday at 1 p.m. The two teams met once during the regular season when the Colonels defeated the Bearkats in a close 67-63 battle. Nicholls enters the tournament 8-10 in conference play while Sam Houston State posted a 7-11 league mark. The winner of that game advances to take on No. 3 seed Stephen F. Austin Friday at 1:30 p.m. The Ladyjacks posted a 12-6 league record after starting conference action 1-5. That game will decide who advance to the semifinals to take on No. 2 seed Northwestern State Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
For the first time, all rounds of the women’s tournament will be televised. The first and second rounds along with the semifinals will be available solely on ESPN3, while the championship game will be covered exclusively on CBS Sports Network.
The winner of the tournament will receive the Southland’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The selection show is Monday, March 14 at 6 p.m., CT, on ESPN.
Tickets to the 2016 Southland Conference Basketball Tournament are available through Ticketmaster and at the Merrell Center box office Tuesday at 10 a.m. This is the ninth consecutive year for the event to be played in Katy.
For complete information about the tournament, visit Southland.org/katy.
Thursday, March 10
Game 1: No. 8 Lamar vs. No. 5 Houston Baptist, 11 a.m.
(ESPN3)
Game 2: No. 7 Sam Houston State vs. No. 6 Nicholls, 1:30 p.m.
(ESPN3)
Friday, March 11
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. No. 4 McNeese State, 11 a.m.
(ESPN3)
Game 4: Winner Game 2 vs. No. 3 Stephen F. Austin, 1:30 p.m.
(ESPN3)
Saturday, March 12
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. No. 1 Central Arkansas, 1 p.m.
(ESPN3)
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. No. 2 Northwestern State, 3:30 p.m.
(ESPN3)
Sunday, March 13
Championship Game, 11:30 p.m.
(CBS Sports Network)