North Carolina Central University

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

INDIANAPOLIS -- North Carolina Central University has received an at-large bid and a No. 4 seeding for the 2006 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region Women's Basketball Championship, which will be hosted by the top seed Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. starting Friday, March 10, the NCAA announced Sunday night (March 5).

NCCU (22-6), making its fourth NCAA playoff appearance (1984, 2001, 2002, 2006), will face the No. 5 seed Georgia College & State University (17-13) in the opening round. The Lady Bobcats made the tournament field for the fifth time (1996, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2006) by winning the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship on Sunday at Lander University with an 89-83 double overtime 
victory over Francis Marion University.

NCCU opened this season with a 67-47 victory over GC&SU on Nov. 18, 2005, in Winston-Salem, N.C.  NCCU also faced the Lady Bobcats in the opening round of the 2002 NCAA regional playoffs with the Lady Eagles claiming a 74-62 win and advancing to the regional title game.

The CIAA has three representatives in the South Atlantic Region eight-team bracket, including NCCU, Shaw and the No. 6 seed Johnson C. Smith University.

2006 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region Championship
March 10, 11 and 13 - Raleigh, N.C. (Shaw University)

Friday, March 10
Session #1
1:00 PM - #2 Wingate (23-6) vs. #7 USC Upstate (16-13)
3:00 PM - #3 Clayton State (24-5) vs.  #6 Johnson C. Smith (20-10)
Session #2
6:00 PM - #1 Shaw (26-4) vs. #8 Newberry (18-12)
8:00 PM - #4 North Carolina Central (22-6) vs. #5 Georgia College & State (17-13)

Saturday, March 11
Session #3
3:00 PM - Wingate/USC Upstate winner vs. Clayton State/Johnson C. Smith winner
Session #4
7:00 PM - Shaw/Newberry winner vs. North Carolina Central/Georgia College & State winner

Monday, March 13
7:00 PM - Regional Championship Game

Ticket Prices per Session: $10 general admission, $3 students