WACO, Texas — The Baylor Bears women's basketball team will play in their 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament in the last 20 years after locking up a 7-seed.
Baylor will play in the Seattle Regional 3 bracket and face Alabama in the Round of 64 on Saturday.
Head coach Nicki Collen has led Baylor to back-to-back tournament appearances in her first two seasons in Waco. She currently has a 1-1 record in the tournament. Last year, the Bears defeated Hawaii in the Round of 64 before losing to South Dakota in a shocking upset in the Round of 32 which was played at the Ferrell Center.
Baylor enters the NCAA Tournament off of a two-game losing streak. The Bears were bounced from the Big 12 Tournament by Iowa State. They allowed the Cyclones to shoot 50 percent from three-point range.
Collen said her team must be "scrappier" as they enter the NCAA Tournament.
The Bears are led by Big 12 Freshman of the Year Darianna Littlepage-Buggs and Sarah Andrews, who ranks inside the top-six in scoring in the conference.
Collen is expected to address the media at 8:30 p.m. Sunday night to discuss the Bears seeding and their first-round opponent.
According to the NCAA,
- The First Four games are Wednesday and Thursday, March 15-16
- The first round is Friday and Saturday, March 17-18
- The second round is Sunday and Monday, March 19-20
- The Sweet 16 is Friday and Saturday, March 24-25
- The Elite 8 is Sunday and Monday, March 26-27
- The Final Four is at 7 and 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 31 on ESPN.
- The national championship game is at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 2 on ABC.
Beginning in 2023, the Sweet 16/Elite Eight will be held at two sites per year, with eight teams competing at each site.
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