The Washington women’s basketball team will compete against South Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Schollmaier Arena on the campus of Texas Christian University on March 20.
This matchup marks Washington’s second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies, who finished their season with a 21-10 overall record and a 10-8 mark in Big Ten play, will face the Jackrabbits, who hold a 27-6 record and went 14-2 in the Summit League. The game is scheduled for an 11:30 a.m. PT tip-off and will be broadcast on ESPN News, with Chuckie Kempf providing play-by-play commentary and Brooke Weisbrod serving as analyst. Jason Dorow and Elise Woodward will call the game for local radio on 950 KJR-AM.
The winner of this contest will advance to face either third-seeded TCU or fourteenth-seeded UC San Diego in the Round of 32 at Schollmaier Arena. This meeting is notable as it is the first time Washington and South Dakota State have played each other.
Washington last appeared in the main draw of the NCAA Tournament (excluding First Four games) in 2017, when they reached the Sweet Sixteen against Mississippi State. During this regular season, Washington faced fifteen teams that are participating in this year’s tournament, including eleven from within their conference.
In their most recent games during the Big Ten Tournament, Washington secured a second-round win over USC before being eliminated by top-seeded UCLA in the quarterfinals. The Huskies have won three out of their last four games heading into NCAA action. Three players received Big Ten postseason honors: Sayvia Sellers was named to the All-Big Ten First Team, Avery Howell earned Honorable Mention recognition, and Brynn McGaughy was selected for the All-Freshman Team.
South Dakota State enters its fourth straight NCAA Tournament after winning the Summit League championship and earning an at-large berth. Last year, they defeated Oklahoma State before falling to UConn in the Round of 32.
