March 18, 2013

2013 NCAA Interactive Bracket

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Three-time defending Patriot League Women’s Basketball Champion Navy will head to Jamaica, N.Y., to take on Kentucky in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament Sunday, it was announced Monday night during the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN.

The teams will tip off at noon Sunday from Carnesecca Arena on the campus of St. John’s University on ESPNU. The host Red Storm, seeded 10th, will take on No. 7 Dayton in the second half of Sunday’s doubleheader at approximately 2:30 p.m. The winners of both games will advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Second Round next Tuesday, March 26.

Tickets can be purchased through the St. John’s Ticket Office either online at RedStormSports.com or by phone at 1-888-GoStorm.  Single session ticket prices are $10 for students/youths, $10 for senior citizens and $15 for adults.  An all-session pass that allows entry to both Sunday’s first round and Tuesday’s second round are $15 for students/youths, $15 for senior citizens and adults can purchase a pass for $25.

The Mids (21-11) were awarded the 15th seed in the Bridgeport Region. They will take on a Wildcat team from the Southeastern Conference that earned an at-large berth to the tournament. Kentucky (27-5) advanced to the finals of the SEC Tournament before falling to Texas A&M 75-67. The Wildcats have been idle since March 10.

Sunday will mark the sixth time in which the Patriot League’s representative will square off against a member of the SEC. It last occurred in 2009, when Lehigh took on Auburn in Piscataway, N.J., and fell 85-49.

Navy is making its third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Last year the Mids, also seeded 15th, took the short trip to College Park, Md., to take on in-state foe Maryland before falling 59-44. Two years ago No. 14 seed Navy battled DePaul before the Blue Demons pulled away late for a 56-43 victory in University Park, Pa.

The Mids advanced to this year’s 64-team field after by defeating Holy Cross 72-53 in Saturday’s title game of the Patriot League Tournament in Annapolis, Md.

Sunday will be the first meeting between the two programs.

Navy will be shooting for the League's first NCAA Tournament victory since 1991. League teams are 1-20 all-time in the Division I championship bracket.