UT Women’s Basketball Earns Third Straight NCAA Tourney Bid

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - For a record third consecutive year, The University of Tampa women's basketball team has earned an invitation to the 2008 NCAA II Tournament. The Spartans, who are the number three seed in the South Region, will meet first round opponent Valdosta State University in Cleveland, Miss.

The game is scheduled for Friday while the South Regional times have yet to be announced. The regional will be played on the campus of host institution and national number-one Delta State University.

The Spartans (24-6) and Valdosta State (23-4), who hail from the Gulf South Conference, will meet for the second time this season as UT defeated the then-number 11 Blazers 64-55 on November 24, at the West Georgia Thanksgiving Classic. The teams also met in the first round of last season's South Regional with VSU earning a 64-57 win.

With a total of five NCAA tournament appearances in school history, Head Coach Tom Jessee has guided UT to four in his six years at the helm.

NCAA II South Regional Matchups
#1 Delta State vs. #8 Kentucky State
#2 Arkansas Tech vs. #7 Tuskegee
#3 Tampa vs. #6 Valdosta State
#4 Nova Southeastern vs. #5 West Georgia