Sports Update

Women's Basketball Draws No. 5 Seed In NCAA Tournament

Posted: 6:21 PM Mar 18, 2013
Reporter: Michigan State University

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's basketball team was selected to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history, receiving a No. 5 seed in the Bridgeport Region. The Spartans, who appear in the tournament for the fifth straight season and for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, will face No. 12 seed Marist (26-6) on Saturday, March 23 at 1:30 p.m. in College Park, Md.

Also in the Bridgeport bracket in College Park, will be No. 4 seed Maryland (24-7) and No. 13 seed Quinnipiac (30-2).

Michigan State has compiled a record of 15-12 in its previous NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 9-2 record in the first round. MSU and Iowa are the only two Big Ten schools to have earned a bid to each of the last five NCAA Tournaments.

It is head coach Suzy Merchant's sixth NCAA Tournament selection, having led MSU to the tournament in each of her last five seasons, and Eastern Michigan to the NCAAs in 2004.

The Spartans are 24-8 on the season, tying for the third most wins in program history. MSU finished in a tie for third in the Big Ten at 10-6, and advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game two weekends ago.