FLORENCE, SC - The Francis Marion University women's basketball team learned Sunday night (March 9) that it has earned an at-large invitation to the NCAA Division II National Tournament, and that the Patriots will be the fourth seed in the Southeast Regional to be played in Dahlonega, Ga., on Friday, Saturday, and Monday (March 14, 15, 17).  The three-day regional will be hosted by the University of North Georgia in its 3,600-seat Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center.

The 64-team field announced on Sunday night included 23 automatic qualifiers and 41 at-large selections.  Winners of each of the eight regionals will advance to the Women's Elite Eight at the UMPC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, Pa., on March 24-28.

Francis Marion, which shared the East Division title in Conference Carolinas and was the top seed in the conference tournament where they lost a one-point decision in the title game, owns a 23-6 record under 10th-year head coach Jeri Porter.

The Patriots will face the fifth seed, Columbus State University (20-8), on Friday at 7:30 p.m. FMU defeated the Lady Cougars 77-75 back in November in Florence.

FMU is making its first tournament appearance since 2016 when Porter guided the program to the regional championship and an appearance in the Elite Eight.  This will be Francis Marion's 11th appearance overall since moving to NCAA affiliation in 1992.  The Patriots earned invitations for five consecutive years between 1997 and 2001, reaching the round of Sweet Sixteen in four straight years (1998-2001) and making the 1998 Final Four.  In 2008, FMU hosted the regional as the sixth seed, and in 2009 the Patriots again reached the Sweet Sixteen as the fourth seed in the Southeast.  In 2010, FMU reached the round of 32, and in 2011 the Patriots earned their fourth consecutive bid.

In addition to FMU and CSU, the other teams in the Southeast Regional are No.1 seed North Georgia (29-2), No. 2 seed Coker University (26-5), No. 3 seed Anderson University (24-9), No. 6 seed Carson-Newman University (22-8), No.7 seed Belmont Abbey College (25-5), and No. 8 seed UNC Pembroke (22-8).  
 
Four first-round games will be played on Friday (March 14).  The semifinals will be played on Saturday (March 15) with the championship game set for Monday night (March 17).  
Should Francis Marion win its first game, the Patriots would face the North Georgia/UNCP winner in the semifinals on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.  The championship game is set for Monday at 7 p.m..

The three automatic berths in the Southeast Region were secured by North Georgia (winner of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament), Anderson (South Atlantic Conference Tournament champion), and Belmont Abbey (Conference Carolinas Tournament winner).
 

NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament Southeast Regional
University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, Ga. (3,600-seat Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center)

FRIDAY (March 14) First-Round Games (times to be announced) 
12 pm             #3 Anderson University (24-9) v. #6 Carson-Newman University (22-8)
2:30 pm         #2 Coker University (26-5) v. #7 Belmont Abbey College (25-5)
5 pm               #1 University of North Georgia (29-2) v. #8 UNC Pembroke (22-8)
7:30 pm         #4 Francis Marion University (23-6) v. #5 Columbus State University (20-8)
 
SATURDAY (March 15)
5 pm               Semifinal Game (game 1 winner vs game 2 winner)
7:30 pm         Semifinal Game (game 3 winner vs game 4 winner)
 
MONDAY (March 17)
7 pm               Championship game