Women's Basketball

Conference Record-Tying Eight ACC Teams Earn NCAA Tournament Bids

NCAA Bracket

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) - Eight Atlantic Coast Conference teams were selected to the 64-team field for the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship announced Monday evening.

The eight teams selected to the tournament match a league record (2014, 2015 and 2018), and are the most of any conference this year. It is also the fifth time in the last six years at least seven ACC teams have earned berths in the Big Dance, and the 12th time in the last 15 years at least six teams have been selected.

Two of the four No. 1 seeds in the tournament come from the ACC in league champion and reigning national champion Notre Dame (30-3) and Louisville (29-3). NC State (26-5) and Syracuse (24-8) each earned No. 3 seeds, while Miami (24-8) secured a No. 4 seed and Florida State (23-8) a No. 5 seed. Clemson (19-12) and North Carolina (18-14) each were given No. 9 seeds. Louisville, Notre Dame, NC State, Syracuse and Miami will all serve as host sites for the first and second rounds.

Notre Dame, which will be appearing in the NCAA postseason field for the 24th consecutive year, is the No. 1 seed in the Chicago Region. The Fighting Irish will host No. 16 seed Bethune-Cookman (21-10) at Purcell Pavilion on Saturday, March 23 at 11 a.m. on ESPN2. Notre Dame has advanced to the Final Four six of the last eight seasons and owns the 2001 NCAA Championship in addition to last year’s. The Fighting Irish will be participating in their 26th NCAA Championship and own a 62-23 record in the tournament.

Louisville, which is making its ninth straight and 21st overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament, is the No. 1 seed in the Albany Region. The Cardinals will host No. 16 seed Robert Morris (22-10) at the KFC Yum! Center on Friday, March 22 at Noon on ESPN2. Louisville has advanced to three Final Fours, four Elite Eights and eight Sweet 16s. Louisville owns a 31-21 mark in tournament play.
 
NC State was awarded a No. 3 seed in the Greensboro Region. The Wolfpack will host No. 14 seed Maine (25-7) at Reynolds Coliseum on March 23 at 1 p.m. on ESPN2. NC State is making its third NCAA Tournament appearance with head coach Wes Moore, and its 25th NCAA appearance overall.

Syracuse drew the No. 3 seed in the Portland Region. The Orange will host No. 14 seed Fordham (25-8) in the Carrier Dome at 1 p.m. on March 23 on ESPN2. Syracuse has earned an NCAA bid for seven-straight seasons and eight times under head coach Quentin Hillsman. This is the 10th NCAA Tournament berth in program history for Syracuse.
 
Miami, the No. 4 seed in the Portland Region, will face No. 13 seed FGCU (28-4) at the Watsco Center on March 23 at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. The Hurricanes will be making their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Katie Meier, and 14th overall.
 
Florida State was selected as the No. 5 seed in the Greensboro Region, and will play No. 12 seed Bucknell (28-5) on March 22 at Halton Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, at 4 p.m. on ESPN2. The Seminoles will make their seventh straight NCAA Championship appearance with head coach Sue Semrau, and 18th NCAA trip overall.
 
North Carolina, the No. 9 seed in the Greensboro Regional, will face No 8 seed California (19-12) in Waco, Texas, on March 23 at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The Tar Heels are making their 23rd NCAA appearance under head coach Sylvia Hatchell, and 27th overall.
 
Clemson is back in the NCAA Championship for the first time since the 2002 season. The Tigers are the No. 9 seed in the Portland Region and will face No. 8 seed South Dakota (28-5) in Starkville, Mississippi, on March 22 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Clemson is participating in its 16th NCAA Tournament and its first with head coach Amanda Butler.
 
The first and second rounds of the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship will be played March 22-25 on the home courts of the top 16 seeds: Baylor, Notre Dame, Louisville, Mississippi State, UConn, Stanford, Oregon, Iowa, NC State, Maryland, Syracuse, Iowa State, Miami (FL), Texas A&M, South Carolina and Oregon State.  South Carolina will host in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Regional action will take place March 29-April 1, with Albany, New York (Times Union Center), and Portland, Oregon (Moda Center), hosting on March 29 and 31, while Chicago (Wintrust Arena) and Greensboro, North Carolina (Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena), will host regional games on March 30 and April 1.  The 2019 Women’s Final Four will be held April 5 and 7 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.