Lady Cards Headed to Austin for NCAA Tournament

BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women’s basketball team will stay close to home when it opens play in the NCAA Tournament.

The Lady Cardinals (26-7) earned a No. 14 seed and will play third-seeded West Virginia (28-5) at 8:30 p.m. Sunday in Austin, Texas.

“We want our fans to be part of this, and Austin is a great chance for our fans to see us play,” Lamar head coach Larry Tidwell said. “I’d be disappointed if we have less than 1,000 fans come out to Austin.”

This will be Lamar’s second appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The other came in 1991, when the Lady Cardinals advanced to the Elite Eight.

West Virginia, a member of the Big East, lost the tournament championship game to undefeated Connecticut. Three of the Mountaineers’ losses were to the Huskies.

“We’re excited to be going,” Lamar senior guard Ashley Crawford said. “It’s going to be a great experience.”

Lamar’s Jenna Plumley, the Southland Conference Player of the Year, will be making her third appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Plumley was the starting point guard for Oklahoma as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Lamar.

Ticket information will be announced shortly. Lamar is also organizing a bus excursion to see the Lady Cardinals play. For more information, call Peggy Frazier at (409) 880-2319.

BY: Pat Murray-Lamar University Sports Information Department