Fresh off of capturing their third-straight Region IX championship, Western Nebraska Community College enters next week’s NJCAA Women’s Basketball National Tournament in Salina, Kan., as the 16th seed.
The 24-team field will battle in a single elimination tournament. The top eight seeds earned first-round byes while the next 16 teams will play opening-round contests
The Cougars, who are 31-2 with a 12-game winning streak, will open the tournament next Monday, March 16, at 9 am against #17 South Georgia Technical College.
South Georgia, the #8 seed a year ago, is 27-7 after upending its regular season conference winner Darton Community College in their regional title game.
The time slot and seeding-bracket are identical to last year for WNCC , which was the 17th seed and beat #16 State Fair College 63-60 before falling to #1 Trinity Valley Community College 77-48.
This year, if the Cougars beat South Georgia they would play the next day, Tuesday the 17th, against #1 Hutchinson Community College (33-0) at 1 p.m.
WNCC is making its 12th national tournament appearance in the last 23 years after capturing its third straight Region IX title Saturday night by defeating Northeastern Junior College 61-50.
Region IX received two national tournament berths this year, so NJC (26-6) is also in. The Plainswomen earned the 18th seed and will play 15th Coffeyville Community College (25-9) Monday at 5:30 p.m. The winner will play #2 Chipola College (30-1) on Wednesday.
Other first round games on Monday include #9 Northwest Florida State (26-4) against #24 Murray State (14-17), #13 Wabash Valley (27-6) against #20 Itawamba College (23-4), #12 Seward County CC (27-5) against #21 Lake Region State (26-7), and #10 Tyler JC (28-4) against #23 Larson State (24-9).
The remaining first round games are on Tuesday:. #14 Eastern Arizona (24-4) against #19 Wallace State-Hanceville (27-5) and #11 Salt Lake CC (26-6) against #22 ASA College (16-4).
The 8 seeds who received byes besides Hutchinson and Chipola are #3 Trinity Valley (29-3), #4 New Mexico State (28-3), #5 Walters State (30-2), #6 Iowa WesternCC (30-3), #7 College of Southern Idaho (21-11), and #8 Central Arizona College (24-4).
The NJCAA national tournament ends Saturday, March 21. All games can be watched online at www.njcaatv.com.