When the NCAA tournament begins next week, the MEAC and SWAC women’s basketball champions face tall orders – and historic programs.
SWAC champion Jackson State, seeded 14th, will take on No. 3 UConn, while No. 15 seed and MEAC champion Norfolk State will face No. 2 Stanford in the Portland region.
The Tigers breezed through SWAC play undefeated this season with an 18-0 regular season record and defeated No. 8 Prairie View, No. 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and No. 6 Alcorn State to win the conference title for the second time in three seasons. They’ll face a UConn squad featuring Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards that won the Big East championship.
The MEAC champion Spartans have a date with Stanford, who has the most NCAA tournament wins of any women’s program with 100. Norfolk State, of course, will be looking for their first tournament win.
The Spartans, led by conference player of the year Kierra Wheeler and newcomer of the year Diamond Johnson, are 27-5 and went 13-1 in conference play. Norfolk State defeated No. 8 South Carolina State, No. 4 Coppin State, and No. 2 seed Howard to win their second consecutive MEAC title.
STAGE IS SET
The Spartans are headed to California as the No. 15 seed!#GoldStandard🔰 pic.twitter.com/oY2ULf3Bcf
— Norfolk State Women’s Basketball (@NorfolkStateWBB) March 18, 2024
As the NCAA women’s tournament begins at home for the higher seeds, the Tigers will travel east to Storrs, Connecticut, to play the Huskies. At the same time, Norfolk State goes west to play the Cardinal in Palo Alto, California.