INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Columbus State women's basketball team earned an at-large berth and the No. 5 seed in the upcoming NCAA Southeast Region Tournament, which was announced late Sunday evening.
 
The Lady Cougars will square off against fourth-seeded Francis Marion (S.C.) in Dahlonega, Ga. as top-seeded North Georgia is poised to host seven games over four days at the UNG Convocation Center.
 
The 64-team field was announced on Sunday night and included 23 automatic bids and 41 at-large selections. Winners of each of the eight regionals will advance to the Elite Eight at the UMPC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburg, Pa., on Mar. 24-28.
 
Head Coach Matt Houser and his team finished second in the PBC regular season before bowing out in the PBC Tournament Quarterfinals. CSU holds a 20-8 record and will take on the Patriots who hold a 23-6 record. CSU and FMU met once earlier this season with the Patriots taking a 77-75 win over the Lady Cougars back in November in Florence, S.C.
 
This season will be the first since 2021-22 that Houser and squad will appear in the NCAA Tournament. CSU will make the program's 13th tournament appearance and sets aim for the fourth NCAA Regional Championship in program history.
 
As for the rest of the bracket, other teams in the Southeast Regional are No.1 seed North Georgia (29-2), No. 2 seed Coker University (26-5), No. 3 seed Anderson University (24-9), No. 6 seed Carson-Newman University (22-8), No.7 seed Belmont Abbey College (25-5), and No. 8 seed UNC Pembroke (22-8).
 
The first round will begin on Friday, Mar. 14 with the regional semifinals set for Saturday, Mar. 15 with the championship game to follow on Monday, Mar. 17.
 
North Georgia (winner of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament), Anderson (South Atlantic Conference Tournament champion), and Belmont Abbey (Conference Carolinas Tournament winner) earned the three automatic berths in the Southeast Region while the rest were at-large berths.