Clayton State women draw third seed at NCAA
Division II South Atlantic Regional
Lakers battle host Francis Marion in opening round on Friday at 6 p.m.

MORROW, Ga. – March 10, 2008 – The bids are in, and the Clayton State Laker women’s basketball team is once again heading to the "Big Dance."

The Lakers learned late Sunday night that they will be the third-seeded team in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional this weekend at Francis Marion. Clayton State (18-10) will battle sixth-seeded and host Francis Marion (21-8) at the Smith Center on Friday at 6 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

This marks the fourth straight trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament under head coach Dennis Cox. The Lakers advanced to the South Atlantic Regional semifinals in both 2005 and 2006, followed by winning the Regional last season and advancing to the NCAA Division II "Final Four."

Clayton State enters the NCAA Tournament as the Peach Belt Conference regular season co-champions after going 13-7 in league play. It’s the third Peach Belt Conference regular season championship in the last four seasons for Clayton State under Cox.

In addition to Clayton State and Francis Marion playing at 6 p.m., the remaining quarterfinal slate pits fifth-seeded Augusta State (19-9) against fourth-seeded Shaw (21-11) at 1 p.m., followed by top-seeded Wingate (23-7) battling eighth-seeded Johnson C. Smith (21-9) at 3 p.m. The final game of the night pits second-seeded Tusculum (26-4) against seventh-seeded Lander (22-11) at 8 p.m.

The 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. winners meet in the first semifinal game on Saturday at 6 p.m., with Friday’s 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. winners meeting at 8 p.m. The NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional will be on Monday night at 7 p.m. at Francis Marion’s Smith Center.