March 8, 2004

Women Make 9^th Straight NCAA Trip

Lopers to Face SDSU

            Kearney, NE – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team (25-5) has made the NCAA Division II Tournament for the ninth straight year.

            The Lopers are the fifth seed in the North Central regional, which will be played in St. Paul, Minn., and hosted by Concordia-St. Paul March 12-13 and 15^th (Friday-Saturday-Monday.).

            UNK will take on defending national champion South Dakota State (23-6), the fourth seed in the regional at a time TBA on Friday. The Jackrabbits beat the Lopers in Florida, 74-56, back in November in the season opener for both.

            Seventh-seeded Fort Lewis (23-7) is the other RMAC team in the regional and will face second seeded North Dakota (25-5).

            Host Concordia (27-3) will face conference rival Minnesota-Duluth (20-10), a team that upset them in the NSIC Tourney finals Sunday. Finally, third seeded North Dakota State () will play sixth seeded South Dakota (25-7).

            UNK is 3-11 in nine previous tourney appearances, which includes a 1995 NCAA play-in game vs. SDSU. The Lopers have lost five straight NCAA games by a total of 24 points (4.8 per game).

            Last year, UNK was the sixth seed in the regional and fell to North Dakota State, 76-69, in Brookings, S.D.

            Including this year's setback, UNK is 1-4 all-time vs. the Jackrabbits.