March 17, 2008

JACKSON, Miss. - - JACKSON, Miss. - The Jackson State women's basketball team knew it was going to play in the 2008 NCAA tournament (by winning the SWAC title JSU earned an automatic bid) and pretty much accepted a 16 seeding, but the Lady Tigers hoped they would be close to home.

Monday evening head coach Denise Taylor, the JSU Lady Tigers basketball team, and approximately 25-30 other spectators received two pleasant surprise when the tournament pairings were announced. JSU received a No. 15 seeding and will return to Louisiana to face No. 2 seed LSU.

JSU (18-13, 12-5 SWAC), the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament champions will travel to Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Lady Tigers in the first round on Saturday in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at approximately 9:30 pm (CST).

Last season the Lady Tigers faced Tulane in New Orleans for the 2007 WNIT.

"This is and exciting time for our program," said Taylor. "It's great for us to make the tournament and to be so close to home. Our fans can come down to Baton Rouge and watch us play in the NCAA tournament.

The two other teams paired in Baton Rouge are No. 7 seed Marist (31-2) and No. 10 DePaul (21-11). These four teams are part of the New Orleans Region.

The last time Jackson State played in the NCAA tournament was in 1995, when Andrew Pennington's Lady Tigers won the SWAC tournament.

The Lady Tigers are making their fourth appearance into the field of 64. LSU is making its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance. Marist, which received the automatic bid from the Metro Atlantic Conference, is also making its fourth appearance. DePaul received an at-large bid and enters the tournament for the 13th time.